Though two separate deals were signed with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank about a year ago to install some 17.5 lakh (1.75 million) smart pre-paid metres, the Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company has made little progress in implementing the project. “Only some individual consultants were appointed by Titas Gas PLC. No project management consultant (PMC) has been appointed as yet,” said a senior official of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division. Explaining the significance of the PMC he said has it critical role in implementing a project as it holds the responsibility to plan and design the project. “The main technical aspects remain in the hand of the PMC. Normally one or two foreign companies are appointed as PMC”, he told UNB. Newly appointed Managing Director of the Titas PLC Shahnewaz Parvez also admitted the poor progress of the smart prepaid metre project. He, however, said that the appointment of PMC is under process and hoped that the Titas will be able to appoint the consultant soon. Official sources said Titas Gas signed two separate loan agreements in November last year with the World Bank and ADB to install a total of 17.5 lakh prepaid meters under two projects. On November 23 in 2023, Titas signed a loan agreement with the World Bank for installation of 11 lakh smart prepaid meters under the Gas Sector Efficiency and Carbon Abatement Project. The gas transmission and distribution company also signed another agreement with the Asian Development Bank on November 28 in 2023 for the installation of 6.50 lakh smart prepaid meters under the Smart Metering Energy Efficiency Improvement Project. Read: JS body recommends taking steps to gain prepaid meter consumers’ trust The government had undertaken the smart prepaid metre project for the Titas Gas PLC, to reduce the excessive system loss to a reasonable level. As the oldest and largest gas distribution both in terms of its operational area and volume of natural gas sales among the six gas distribution companies, the Titas Gas has been reeling with 7 percent system loss. Titas Gas officials said the company has to incur a loss of Tk 150-180 crore per month for its system loss. They said the entity can save Tk1,800-2,160 crore a year if such a huge system loss is checked. Titas Gas has so far installed about 3.5 lakh of prepaid gas meters for its household consumers mainly in Dhaka city with the financial support of the Japanese donor agency JICA. Its prepaid meters were installed mainly in Gulshan, Banani, Mohammadpur, Paltan, Ramna, New Market, Khilgaon and Segunbagicha areas. Titas Gas currently supplies gas to over 2.878 million consumers, including some 2.853 million household consumers, 12,078 commercial consumers, 5,429 industrial consumers, 1,755 captive power plants, and 396 CNG stations. As per the official statistics, Titas Gas alone holds 55% of the gas market share, while the other five companies have 45%. Read more: Electricity bills harassments: Postpaid consumers can turn to prepaid meters Its vast operational area covers Dhaka, Manikganj, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Narsingdi, and Mymensingh. It annually sells about 14,459.41 MMCM (million cubic meters) of gas (2021-23 fiscal years), to earn a revenue of Tk26,387.12 crore.

With 7 percent system loss, the new management of the Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company PLC has been facing the biggest challenge in its service delivery. “Some 7 percent system loss means the organisation loses Tk 150-180 crore per month in revenue,” said Shahnewaz Parvez, the new managing director of the Titas Gas PLC. “It means, the state-owned gas distribution entity can save Tk 1800-2160 crore a year if such a huge system loss is checked,” he told UNB. Among the six gas distribution companies, Titas Gas has been the oldest and largest one both in terms of its operational area and volume of natural gas sales. As per the official statistics, the Titas Gas, invented in 1964, alone holds 55 percent of the gas market share while the other five companies have 45 percent. UCB signs MOU with Titas Gas to provide banking solutions Titas Gas supplies gas to over 2.878 million consumers, including some 2.853 million household consumers, 12,078 commercial consumers, 5,429 industrial consumers, 1,755 captive power plants, and 396 CNG stations. Its vast operational area covers Dhaka, Manikganj, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Narsingdi and Mymensingh. It annually sells about 14,459.41 MMCM (million cubic meters) of gas (2021-23 fiscal year), to earn a revenue of TK 26,387.12 crore.           After the fall of the Awami League regime, the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry also brought changes in Titas management as it was one of the ‘most corrupt’ organisations where the previous managing director Harunor Rashid Mollah was appointed on a contractual basis. There have been widespread allegations that Mollah was involved in various corruption schemes who gave a huge financial benefit to former state minister Nasrul Hamid to get his contractual appointment. Titas Gas faces assaults from local lawmakers' supporters when removing illegal gas connections: Titas MD One of the major allegations against the old management was that Mollah did not take adequate actions against the illegal connections which ultimately increased the system loss of Titas Gas from 2 percent in 2021-22 to 7 percent in 2024-25 fiscal years. Upon assuming office as Managing Director, Shahnewaz Parvez, who previously served as the Managing Director of GTCL, another Petrobangla company, took action against illegal gas connections. Within one month, he said, itas Gas had disconnected over 4,000 household connections and more than 90 industrial connections, primarily in Keraniganj, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Rupganj. Official sources said Keraniganj was the parliamentary constituency of former state minister for power and energy Nasrul Hamid where the most illegal connections were found. Titas Gas officials said the mainly politically influential persons, especially the local MPs of the ruling party, were the main promoters of the illegal gas connections. As a result, on many occasions, the Titas Gas officials came under attacks from the ruling party men when they conducted operations against the illegal gas connections at different areas. Shahnewaz said Titas Gas has to lose revenue of over Tk 5 crore a day due to illegal gas connections. “So, it’s now our top priority to disconnect all illegal connections and remove the illegal gas pipelines,” he said, adding, if illegal connections are snapped it will play a good role to improve gas supply to many areas. Petrobangla, Titas dismiss news on new gas connections as “baseless rumor”

Gas supply will remain suspended in many areas of Narayanganj, and parts of Dhaka and Munshiganj districts for 16 hours — from 8 am on Monday (March 04, 2024) to 12 am — for emergency gas pipeline repair work. Gas outage for 8 hours in parts of capital city Saturday A public notice from Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited said the areas where gas supply will remain off include Godnail, Enayetnagar, Bau Bazar, Lucky Bazar, Hajiganj, Wabdapul, Qayyumpur, Fatulla, Sistabpur, Jail Khana Road, Post Office Road from Hajiganj junction to Shibu Market, Panchbati, Maizdair, Izdair, Chashara, Khanpur, Killarpool, Talla, Kutubail, Dharmaganj, Takkarmath, Pagla, Chitashal, Delpara, Jalkuri, Nayamati, Dapa Idrakpur, Bhuigarh, Qutubpur Union, Dhaka Match, Senpur, Moktarpur, Narayanganj BSCIC Area, Kashipur Union to Moktarpur via Panchabati area, Shimgaon, Siddhirganj, Adamji, Sahebpara, Mizmiji to Chittagong Road, and Siddhirganj. The adjoining areas under Fatulla Police Station, Munshiganj and Narayanganj city may experience disruption or low pressure in gas supply, said Titas, regretting temporary inconveniences during the period. Gas crisis: Indefinite transport strike underway in Sylhet

Industries in Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj continue to be afflicted by an acute gas crisis, even though Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, the state-owned distributor of natural gas, claims the situation has improved. As reported in the media previously, garments and textiles firms in the industrial belt of these central districts have been suffering from an acute gas crisis for the last few months. “The factories are in dire straits,” a top top-level manager of a group of textile factories in Gazipur told UNB. Most of the industries in Gazipur do not get adequate supply of gas during their operational periods, the most crucial hours during which their machines need to be running. Inadequate supply manifests in the form of low pressure gas flow, he added. FBCCI urges for strengthening oil, gas exploration to ensure uninterrupted supply to industries Low pressure gas flow is akin to low voltage electricity - many appliances won't run, even though an electric charge is present. The textiles group official said that due to the lack of gas supply, production in various factories is being disrupted and they are on the verge of shutting down. In the ongoing gas crisis, important machines like generators and broilers in the dyeing section of the factories are not being run. This has been posing a great risk for the industries to continue their production and pushing them towards huge financial losses. “Many industries would not be able to pay the salaries and festival bonuses during the coming Eid if the situation does not improve,” said an industry owner. Industry insiders said there are more than 300 factories in Kaliakoir and other areas in Gazipur. All these industries have been suffering from the nagging gas crisis and some of them have already suspended their productions. 100% percent prepaid gas meters within four years: Nasrul Hamid Each of the industries has more than 1000 workers. But following the gas crisis, they have to reduce their production target while some of them use CNG at a higher cost to continue their operations. A similar situation is prevailing in the Mirpur, Tongi and Narayanganj areas, said Mohammad Hatem, Executive President, of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA). He said that despite increasing the price, the government is not able to provide adequate gas. “Production in garment factories has come down to half due to non-availability of gas. Many buyers meanwhile are pushing for air shipments as the normal schedule for shipments has failed in keeping the commitment,” he said adding, some buyers are asking for discounts on the rates. More gas likely to be found in Sylhet’s Kailashtila field: Nasrul “Some customers are upset and cancel the order in such a situation,” he noted. Recently the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) has also alleged that no industry in the country is able to run at its full potential due to the gas crisis. A Bangladesh Chamber Of Industries delegation, led by its president Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury (Parvez), raised the allegation when it met Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun at his ministry office. The lone chamber for industries said the prices of electricity and gas were increased on the pretext of increasing prices on the international market in the hope that the government would ensure their continuous supply. “But despite the declining trend of energy prices in the international market, it is being heard that the prices of electricity and gas will be increased again,” BCI said in a statement. Read more: Govt okays import of LNG cargo from Singaporean firm to meet gas demand It demands for a sustainable solution to the problem. “If a long term plan is given to the industrial sector in terms of power and gas supply, it can move forward accordingly." Titas Gas general manager Arpana Islam admitted the gas crisis. But she claimed that the situation has improved to some extent recently following measures to increase the gas supply. She advised to talk to Petrobangla when asked whether there is any possibility in near future to further improve the gas supply situation. Petrobangla official statistics reveal that in the last one month the total gas supply across the country has increased by just 100 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) or so, leaving a deficit between production and supply of about 1500 mmcfd. The Petrobangla data shows that on February 16 it produced 2671 mmcfd gas including its import from abroad against a demand for more than 4000 mmcfd. The TItas Gas data also shows that about 30 power plants now remained out of operation due to gas shortage. Read more: BNP denounces move to double monthly rent for prepaid gas meters

Many areas of the capital city Dhaka city have been hit by a gas shortage causing problems for the consumers. The situation may worsen in the coming winter as no necessary measure is in sight to address the problem.  According to official sources, the areas which have been severely suffering most due to the crisis include vast area of Mirpur and Mohammadpur, Basabo, old part of city, specially Lalbagh and Chawkbazar, Segunbagicha, Tejgaon, Dhanmondi and Gulshan. Residents in these areas alleged that they don’t get adequate gas during the day time. “In most of the time, we have to cook our meal during midnight when gas flow is found to be a little bit better. Otherwise, we need to use LPG as an alternative to piped-gas", said Taslima Begum, a resident in the Green Road area of Dhanmondi. Read: US eases oil, gas and gold sanctions on Venezuela after electoral roadmap signed “We have to spend a good amount of money for using LPG alongside paying to Titas Gas as consumers of its piped gas”, she told UNB this week. Halima Aktar, another Titas consumer living in Mohammadpur echoed the same, saying that she has to cook in the might as gas is not available from morning to 10 pm.      An employee of National Press Club noted that in most of the days in day-time the club has to face very low pressure in the gas pipe that disrupts normal cooking. Similar allegations of no gas supply in day time or low pressure in the gas line are being received from the consumers in different parts of the capital. Confirming the allegations, Md. Emam Uddin Sheikh, general manager of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited, said that the gas supply situation in Dhaka and adjoining areas is very much part of the country’s overall supply condition. Read: Gas supply to remain off for 7 hours in parts of capital Thursday “The country has a shortage of more than 1000 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMCFD) against the overall demand for 4000 MMCFD”, he told UNB. He informed that Titas Gas, which is responsible for gas supply to Dhaka and adjoining districts, now receives 1400-1500 MMCFD gas against a demand for 1800 MMCFD meaning a shortage of 300-400 MMCFD gas. However, official data of Petrobangla, the state-owned upstream organisation in the gas sector, shows that the country produces 2663.5 MMCFD gas on Monday including imported LNG (liquefied natural gas) against the demand of 4000 MMCFD. Read: At least 20 dead in gas station explosion as Nagorno-Karabakh residents flee to Armenia It shows that the country is getting 600 MMCFD gas from imported LNG as imports witnessed a fall in recent months from a normal 800-900 MMCFD. Official sources said the recent dollar crisis has forced Petrobangla to reduce its import of LNG which intensified the crisis in recent days. Official sources said it is unlikely that Petrobangla would be able to increase the import of LNG or increase the production from local sources within the next few months as there is no assurance of ending the ongoing dollar crisis. The country’s foreign exchange reserves declined to below $22 billion this year from $48 last year which put Petrobangla in trouble to get adequate dollars to pay its international suppliers against its purchase of LNG from the global market. The country’s gas industry insiders said that the overall gas supply situation deteriorate in the coming winter with no visible sign of easing the dollar crisis.

Gas supply will remain suspended for eight hours on Saturday (June 3, 2023) at different areas in the capital city Dhaka for emergency replacement and removal of gas pipelines. According to a press release of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited, the areas where gas supply will be suspended from 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday include the north side of the railway line up to Mogbazar, Mouchak, Malibagh Rail-gate, Nayatola, Gabtala, Greenway, Payarabagh, Madhubagh, and Moghbazar T&T Colony. Read more: IPPs call for uniform import duty on primary fuels Reheating for the temporary inconvenience, the Titas gas authority said the adjoining areas may experience low pressure problem in gas supply during the period.

Gas supply will remain suspended for 11 hours from 1 pm to 12 am (mid night) in different areas of Dhaka on Wednesday (December 07, 2022). According to Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited, the areas where there will be no gas supply due to emergency works in the pipeline include Tejgaon, Mohakhali, Gulshan, Banani, Natunbazar, Badda, and Khilbaritek. Read: Gas reserve found in abandoned well of Beanibazar The adjoining areas will experience low pressure in gas supply, said Titas Gas regretting the temporary inconvenience of the consumers during the period.

Mobile financial service provider upay has signed an agreement with Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited (TGTDCL) to facilitate prepaid meter bill payment/prepaid card recharge through upay. Emon Kalyan Dutta, chief sales & service officer, and Md Eaqub Khan, company secretary of TGTDCL signed the agreement recently. Rezaul Hossain, managing director & CEO of upay, and Md Haronur Rashid Mullah, managing director of TGTDCL were present during the signing ceremony held at the head office of TGTDCL in the city, said a media release on Sunday.   Also Read: NID fees can be paid through upay Syed Abu Nosor Md Saleh, project director, installation of prepaid gas meter for TGTDCL, Mir Mubarak Hossain, manager, installation of prepaid gas meter for TGTDCL, Md Sekander-E- Azam, head of transaction banking, United Commercial Bank Ltd and Shakib Altaf, deputy director, Hasan Mohammad Zahid, assistant director, Mohammad Mockbul Hossain Bhuiyan, DGM, Md Mahfuzur Rahman, account manager of upay, among others, were present at the signing ceremony. upay, a subsidiary of United Commercial Bank, launched its operation in March 2021. Read Pathao Courier to get upay cash collection solutions

Gas supplies will remain suspended for 12 hours in different areas of the capital from 9am to 9pm Thursday due to works on gas pipeline replacement. The areas are Hatirpul, Circular Road, Free School Street, Green Road, Kathalbagan, East Rajabazar, West Rajabazar, Shukrabad, and Indira Road, said Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company. The consumers in the nearby areas may experience low pressure in supply too, it added. Also read: Govt working to keep gas price within tolerable limit: Nasrul

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has directed the Titas Gas authorities to take punitive action against officials responsible for a failure to increase customer services. He gave the directive on Monday while visiting the headquarters of the Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited, the largest state-owned utility responsible for gas supply in Dhaka and adjoining districts.   He said he has been receiving constant complaints from the Titas Gas customers. “These complaints need to be settled quickly. The Titas Gas officials have to be held accountable to their customers for their services," he added. The state minister advised the Titas Gas authorities to keep their customers informed about its activities to increase their confidence in the company. READ: N’ganj mosque blast: 8 suspended Titas officials get bail He also directed the Titas Gas officials to step up the drives against the illegal gas connections. He mentioned that due to technical reasons and also for the increase in the global price of LNG, the pressure of gas is slightly lower in the Titas Gas area. While discussing the implementation progress of the existing projects of Titas Gas, the state minister said that schemes have to be taken up keeping in mind the next generation’s better services. The Titas gas officials informed him that 25 km of illegal gas connections have been removed in November-2021, 24.1 km in December-2021 and 16 km in January-2022 during drives against illegal gas connections. Titas officials also said that different government entities’ unpaid bills to Titas now stand at Tk 745.22 crore while private consumers’ unpaid bills are Tk 5620.25 crore. READ: Narayanganj mosque blast: Titas probe body files report Nasrul Hamid requested the customers to pay the arrears, saying it was not possible to take up many service-oriented projects if the arrears bills are not realised. He also instructed the Titas Gas officials to strengthen the drive for installing smart meters to enhance customer service.