The Pashchimanchal Gas Company Ltd (PGCL) lost nearly Tk50 crore in revenue over the past four years, due to a government ban on new gas connections in Bogra town, said sources.
A senior PGCL official said they had to suspend all new industrial and commercial gas connections in Bogra following an official order in September 2009, while new connections to homes were stopped between July 2009 and April 2013.
According to the revenue department, during the suspension period, the state-owned company incurred losses amounting Tk50 crore of probable revenue.
Md Aminur Rahman Khan, manager (sales) at PGCL’s Bogra office, said the company resumed new domestic connections in May last year, providing more than 2,500 lines. Moreover, 5,000 more connections will be provided in the next few months, he added.
“But the company has yet to decide about industrial, commercial and CNG filling station connections,” Aminur Rahman said.
At present, the gas company is earning Tk6.75 crore per month on average from 15,000 residential connections, Md Abdur Razzak, another PGCL manager, said.
Meanwhile, sources at PGCL’s marketing department said there is enough volume of gas in the west zone for providing commercial and industrial connections, but they need a government order to do so.
According to PGCL figures, gas at 60 PSI (pounds per square inch) pressure is available from the Bogra Cantonment area to the Thangamara point on the outskirts of the town.
The company, however, will not be able to give new connections if the gas pressure falls to 30 PSI from 60 PSI, experts said.