The government has decided to introduce a system for ensuring the gas supply for the under construction Shahjalal Fertiliser Factory in Fenchuganj of Sylhet, official sources said.
Fenchuganj Fertiliser Factory, one of the country’s oldest factories which went into operation late 50s, will be closed after Shahjalal Fertiliser Factory goes into operation.
An Industries Ministry official said the government had decided to set up a customer metering station (CMS) which would store up gas and supply it to the new fertiliser factory.
The official said China National Complete Plant Import and Export Corporation Ltd, a China-based company, had assured the authority concerned that the construction of Shahjalal Fertiliser Factory would be completed by June next year and the construction of the CMS would also be completed within the stipulated time.
Industries Secretary Mohammad Moinuddin Abdullah sent a proposal to the authority concerned for selecting the consulting firm to set up the CMS on the site of Shahjalal Fertiliser Factory. The proposal would be placed at a meeting of the cabinet committee on public economic affairs today.
As per the proposal, the evaluation committee had selected Langfang Ruihua Petrochemical Company Ltd, a Chinese company, from three firms. The two other firms were Zicom Equipment Pte Ltd and Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution Systems Company.
The proposal reads: “The government will count huge fine unless the supply of natural gas is ensured for Shahjalal Fertiliser Factory within January next year.”
The industries secretary told the Dhaka Tribune that Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution Systems Company had assured the authority concerned of ensuring the gas supply for the new fertiliser factory.
“Gas crisis will be resolved because almost obsolete Fenchuganj Fertiliser Factory is supposed to be closed down after the commencement of the new fertiliser factory,” he said.
The secretary said the new factory would go into production at the end of next June if the authority concerned did not face any difficulties.
The construction work of Shahjalal Fertiliser Factory is going on in full swing. COMPLANT is implementing the project at a cost of Tk5,050 crore of which Tk3,986 crore will come from the Chinese government.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on March 24, 2012 inaugurated the project which was expected to be completed within 38 months.
To finish the work within time frame, several Chinese companies, including Saxing Petrolatum Chemical Engineering and Construction Company Ltd, CNC Seven, CNC Eleven and China National Engineering and Heavy Mechanised Corporation are working as subcontractors.
Some 162 acres of land had already been acquired to set up the fertiliser factory and the acquisition of more land was under process. The construction of a urea bulk storage with the capacity of 70,400 tonnes is nearing completion.
