The Department of Explosives has suspended industrial use of oxygen for the time being and instructed the manufacturers to ensure uninterrupted supply to hospitals.
The instruction was given through letter on April 23 to all five oxygen producing companies — Linde Bangladesh, Spectra Oxygen Limited, Islam Oxygen Limited, DR Industries Limited and Bangladesh Industrial Gas Limited, said Abul Kalam Azad, chief inspector of explosives.
He told The Business Post on Tuesday that as the hospitals were not getting oxygen as per their demand to face the resurge of coronavirus, they had instructed the oxygen producers to suspend supply to the industries and all their supply should go to hospital and clinics, the official said.
A large portion of the total oxygen demand of Bangladesh is met by importing oxygen from India. But the export and supply of oxygen has now stopped due to covid-19 infection increase last few days.
The crisis could not escalate further, so the department of explosives has given such decision.
