Industrial oxygen supply suspended, but minister says there’s no crisis

Health Minister Zahid Malek yesterday said there is no need to panic at this moment about any imminent oxygen crisis in the country, but the Department of Explosives directed five oxygen companies to suspend supply to industries during the pandemic.

"Now there are about 7,000 patients in hospitals. Even if the number of patients increases three times, there will be no oxygen crisis," the minister said at a briefing at the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons in the capital on Tuesday.

The minister made the comment at a time when hospitals are already reportedly experiencing an acute crisis of oxygen supply as there has been an alarming increase in Covid-19 infections since the beginning of the pandemic's second wave in the country.

In a bid to tackle the oxygen crisis, the Department of Explosives has directed the oxygen producing companies to supply oxygen only to hospitals.

Chief Explosives Inspector Abul Kalam Azad issued the instruction for five oxygen producing companies – Linde Bangladesh, Spectra Oxygen Limited, Islam Oxygen Limited, DR Industries Limited and Bangladesh Industrial Gas Limited – in a letter.

The instruction has, however, come as a blow to the country's steel and ship-breaking industries. Businesses of these sectors fear severe impact on their production if oxygen supply is hampered.

The health minister said, "Liquid oxygen, used in various industries, has to be imported. We have also talked about limiting their use. Hopefully we will not have an oxygen crisis if the number of patients does not increase."

The central oxygen line in the hospitals is new. Some of these carry liquid oxygen, and most are gaseous oxygen lines, he said.

"The production capacity of our private sector companies is good. We have already talked to them. In the meantime, we are considering setting up a new plant. India is not giving oxygen now. If needed, oxygen will be imported from other sources.

"The hospitals where there is an opportunity to use gaseous oxygen, we have asked them to convert it to gas. So, we will not need liquid gas.  We are still trying. But there is nothing to panic about at the moment," Zahid Malik assured.

Director General of the Health Department Professor Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam was also present at the news briefing.

A large portion of the total oxygen demand of the country comes from India. But due to its deteriorated Covid situation, India has stopped export of oxygen.

There are plans to import oxygen from Singapore as an alternative, which is time consuming.

The Explosives Department letter said coronavirus infections in Bangladesh have been on the rise recently and hospitals and clinics are not getting medical oxygen as per the demand.

In this situation, it is necessary to increase the production of medical oxygen to ensure emergency health care and to maintain uninterrupted supply of oxygen to the hospital, the letter said.

Steel, ship-breaking industries to bear the brunt

At normal times, the demand for oxygen in the country for medical and industrial usage is about 220-250 tonnes a day.

The daily requirement of medical oxygen is 100-120 tonnes. As a result of the new guidelines, the entire oxygen production will be used for medical purposes.

Although steel and ship-breaking industries jointly have a demand for 150 tonnes per day, now the two industries will not get it. On the other hand, imports from India have also stopped. As a result, these industries are under threat of stopping production.

Md Shahidullah, secretary general of the Bangladesh Steel Manufacturers Association, said the decision would affect both the industries severely.

"Production in the steel industry will be hampered. Many sections of steel producing machines get stuck during production and washing them requires oxygen during welding. Oxygen is needed in each stage of steel production. Production of those companies having no oxygen stock will stop now," he said.

He said most companies keep stocks for 10 to 30 days.

Linde Bangladesh supplies 75% of the total oxygen demand in Bangladesh. Apart from this, Spectra Oxygen Limited and Islam Oxygen Limited are also among the notable oxygen producing companies.

According to Benapole land port sources, five importers including Linde Bangladesh, Spectra, Pure Oxygen, Islam Oxygen import liquid oxygen from India through Benapole land port. In the week before April 21, more than 498 tonnes of liquid oxygen were imported from India through the Benapole land port.

"At present we could meet the demand with our existing capacity without importing oxygen. But we are not capable of meeting additional demand as India has banned oxygen export," said Linde Bangladesh Ltd spokesperson Saiqa Mazed.