PM urged to okay gas supply project for SW region
Greater Khulna Development Action Coordination Committee has demanded direct intervention of the prime minister for approval of the Tk 644 crore project for gas supply through pipeline in the next meeting of ECNEC.
At a press conference at the committee office in the city on Monday, Haider Gazi Salahuddin Runu, secretary general of the body, read out a written statement appealing to the prime minister to fulfil her election commitment to implement the gas supply project in the south-western region for greater economic interest of the country.
"We will submit a memorandum to the prime minister through the deputy commissioner of Khulna on November 2 to draw her kind attention to this very important issue," he said.
"A new tough movement programme would be launched as part of our firm stand against further conspiracy to shelve implementation of the project on any lame excuse," he added.
He strongly criticised the planning ministry for sending file back to the Ministry of Energy instead of placing it before the last meeting of ECNEC for approval of the project.
"Such a move would foil the government's initiative to implement various development projects including reopening of closed jute mills, Khulna Newsprint Mill, Khulna Textile Mill and activating all sick industries, modernisation of Mongla Port and Export Processing Zone," Haider said.
"File for the project was not placed before last meeting of ECNEC for approval merely on ground of shortage of the Internal Rate of Return (IRR).
"Requirement of IRR for the project is 15 percent. This requirement could not be fulfilled as 11.13 percent IRR has been quoted in project. This cannot be the reason to shelve the file in the energy ministry, hampering greater economic interest of the people of south-western region.
"We hope that the government will approve the project also to inspire entrepreneurs of both home and abroad to invest in this part of the country where 65 out of 112 industries were shut down in last six years for seven reasons," he said.
The seven reasons are absence of gas supply through pipeline, severe power outage, sickness of Mongla Seaport, absence of an airport, high interest of bank loan, inadequate supply of furnace oil and lack of good communication system.
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