State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid on Sunday stressed the need for a new, updated, modern and time-befitting LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) as the use of the gas has increased manifolds.
“The consumption of LGP has increased to 1.45 million tonnes from 60,000 tonnes in 2009”, he said adding that now the gas is being used in different sectors including houses, motor vehicles and industries.
He was addressing a workshop on “Safe Use of LPG in Hotel and Restaurants”, organised by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) at TCB Bhaban in Dhaka.
BERC Chairman Nurul Amin presided over the workshop, attended by different stakeholders including representatives of LPG operators.
He asked the energy regulator to accommodate the opinions of the stakeholders while preparing a new policy for the LPG.
“But make it sure all the LPG users are abiding by the rules, regulations and policies of the government in using the product,” he told the BERC.
He observed that most of the accidents involving LPG are taking place due to leakages in gas cylinders.
In this case, he said, every government agencies like Rajuk, LPG operators and energy regulators, have the responsibility to monitor if the safety instructions are being followed or not.
“Rajuk has to give approval to building plans after checking whether LPG lines are properly designed or not,” he said.
He said the LPG cylinders get leaked due to mishandling by operators, dealers, sub-dealers and sellers.
“Actually, LPG cylinders reach customers through rounding five to six hands from an operator and they are not careful in handing those”, he said.
The workshop was also addressed by new energy secretary Nurul Alam, president of Bangladesh Hotel & Restaurant Owners Association Imran Chowdhury, Daudur Rahman Khan of Omera Petroleum, Liakat Ali of JMI LPG Ltd while Prof Masud Helali of Buet made a presentation at the workshop.
Imran Chowdhury alleged that the BERC invited them to the workshop, but they were not given any chance to place their opinion although they are the main stakeholders in the issue of the workshop.
Daudur Rahman Khan of Omera Petroleum said that hotel and restaurant operators are not using extra safety mechanisms. Cylinders are stored at unsafe places, he said.
Some operators are using CNG for cooking purposes which is dangerous and food courts should use a single line for LPG, he said.
