CHATTOGRAM, Sept 28: The supply of gas to the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Industrial City at Mirsarai Economic Zone (MEZ) will start this year, officials said.
The MEZ is being developed as the largest industrial zone in the country with a target to generate 150,000 new employments.
Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) has already set up a 17-kilometre long pipeline to supply gas to the economic zone under a project named 'Construction of Gas Pipelines for MEZ,' said officials concerned.
The new gas pipeline is ready for supply of gas to the MEZ now, they said.
Primarily, the demand of gas at the MEZ is 500 mmcfd but later, the demand will be increased to 750 mmcfd after all industries at the EZ start their full operation, they informed.
Of the total demand, the MEZ will use a total of 40 mmcfd gas for production of power.
Sources said, construction work of a 167-megawatt (MW) power station is nearing completion in the MEZ area which is also a duel fuel power plant. BR Power Zone Limited, a concern of Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB), is constructing the duel fuel station at the EZ. The KGDCL has already received the application for supply of gas to the 167-MW power plant.
Officials of KGDCL said gas pipes measuring 16 inches diametre have been set up for the MEZ which will supply 200 mmcfd gas to the EZ per day.
Meanwhile, Jin One Chemical Company Limited has also applied gas to the KGDCL. Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) has applied for supply of gas to all industries at the MEZ. A project to supply 500 mmcfd gas to the EZ is undergoing now, an official source said.
General Manager (Engineering) of KGDCL Engineer Sarwar Hossain said, "We are trying to complete the project as early as possible to ensure (smooth and uninterrupted) gas supply to the industries at the MEZ. We will complete the work of constructing all pipelines to supply has to the MEZ within a short time."
Contacted, Engineer A N M Saleh, Project Director of the 'Construction of Gas Pipelines for MEZ' project said they have completed construction of 17 km gas pipeline for the MEZ.
"The gas pipeline has been set up from Boro Darogahat area under Sitakunda upazila to the MEZ at Mirsarai upazila. We have started test supply of gas to the EZ through the pipeline on August 30," he added.
Lawmaker from Mirsarai Engineer Mosharaf Hossain, also a former minister, said the MEZ will change the lives of people of Chattogram as many people will get opportunity to work there.
"The government has already prepared 10,000 acres of land for setting up industries at the MEZ. After construction of industries at the MEZ, the total area will be changed like Singapore," he added.
Officials said the MEZ is being constructed on around 30,000 acres of land at Mirsarai. The MEZ has already got around US $10 billion investment the proposal.
One the project is completed, tens of thousands of people will be employed at the factories there, they mentioned. "Already a total of 16,000 acres of land has been acquired for the MEZ. Besides, acquisition of additional 7,000 acres of land is underway to establish the zone on 30,000 acres," they said.
"BEZA has also acquired 12,000 acres of land in Cox's Bazar and is in the process of acquiring another 16,000 acres," they added.
President of Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) Mahabubul Alam said gas is important for industrialisation. It is very good news that the KGDCL has ensured supplying gas to the MEZ, he said.
The MEZ will be the largest satellite industrial zone in the country which will include the one stop service, he said.
"The MEZ will attract the local and foreign investment. Investment is the prime vehicle for a country's overall development and progress," he added.
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