Cylinder gas for industries: CNG filling station owners to seek Petrobangla directives

CNG filling station owners will seek directives from Petrobangla to deal with the export-oriented apparel and ceramic manufacturers' request to supply them natural gas through cylinders for their industries amid energy crisis. 
 
"We'll seek directives from Petrobangla to decide on the request of the export-oriented industries," Farhan Noor, general secretary of the Bangladesh CNG Filling Station  and  Conversion Workshop Owners Association (briefly known as CNG Station owners association), told UNB. 
 
Recently, three export-oriented business bodies-Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers  and  Exporters Association (BCMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) - requested the Bangladesh CNG Filling Station  and  Conversion Workshop Owners Association to supply natural gas to their member industries through cylinders. 
 
In three separate letters, the presidents of BGMEA, BCMEA and BKMEA requested the CNG station owners association to help the export-oriented industries to supply gas through cylinders. 
 
They mentioned in the letter that their industries have been experiencing a severe gas crisis as the pressure in gas supply drops to a zero PSI level at 8 am and it slightly improves at 11pm. 
 
"As a result, the operation of the factories is seriously hampered. The workers and employees of the factories pass their times sitting idle that ultimately makes the industries unable to supply the readymade garments as per lead-time of the export order," said BGMEA president Faruk Hasan in his letter.  
 
"Despite repeated discussions with the authorities concerned and sending of letters repeatedly no effective solution is being received from them in this regard," it added. 
 
The BCMEA and the BKMEA narrated the similar sufferings of their industries and made the similar request to the CNG station owners association. 
 
They also referred to their meeting with Prime Minister's Advisor Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury on September 12 where they sought uninterrupted gas supply to their industries. 
 
About the request of the three business bodies, CNG Station Owners Association general secretary Farhan Noor said that entertaining such requests of the three organisations is not possible as the existing law does not permit them to supply CNG through cylinders. 
 
"Safety and security issues are involved in the matter," he said, adding that 4 people were killed on October 13 in Gazipur during such illegal supply of CNG from a filling station to a cylinder of an export-oriented industry. 
 
"So, we're going to seek directives from Petrobangla on the issue," he added.