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CNG refuelling stations to face shutdown in case of cheating

Tamim warns at int'l CNG show inaugural

Star Business Report
A government functionary has warned stringent punitive measures against the unscrupulous compressed natural gas (CNG) refuelling stations cheating consumers by giving less quantum of gas and charging extra.
‘Reports have it that some of the station owners are cheating consumers. They are giving less gas and charging more. If you keep it doing, we have no other options than shutting down these businesses," said Professor M Tamim, chief adviser's special assistant for power, energy and mineral resources.
Tamim was inaugurating the first International CNG Exhibition 2008 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre. Global Event Management Services organised the show.
Referring to businessmen's intention for deregulation, Tamim said they must have their selfregulation if they don't want regulation.
“What you promise, you must keep and maintain standard,” the special assistant urged the businessmen.
The four-day exposition
has brought together over 30 local and foreign companies engaged in manufacturing and trading of various CNG products such as cylinder, kits, accessories, compressors and dispersers.
Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd, Petrobangla and Asia-Pacific Natural Gas Vehicles Association have extended support to the fair, while The Daily Star,
Channel i and Radio Foorti act as the media partners.
Organisers said companies and stakeholders from about 16 countries are taking part in the fair, which focuses on the safety issues as some recent explosions of cylinders in CNG-run vehicles created concerns among commuters.
At present, 296 refuelling stations are providing ser-
vices to about 1,50,000 CNG-run vehicles in the country. The number of CNG conversion workshops stands at 130, according to the Rupantarita Prakrit ik Gas.
The increase in CNG-driven vehicles also fuelled a rise in natural gas consumption, which rose 78 percent to 11.99 billion cubit feet in the fiscal year 2006-07 from 6.71 billion cubic feet the
previous year.
The demand for CNG has been estimated at 20.4 billion cubic feet for the fiscal year 2007-08, official data shows.
Tamim cited a faster growth of CNG sector in the seven years and advised the existing and prospective investors to calculate risks before getting into the business.
"That is, the future risk you have to take and you have to do the calculations before you get into the business... if you don’t do that and if you fail in your business, don't expect that the government is going to bail you out," hesaid.
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Secretary Mohammad Mohsin said the number of CNG stations and CNG-run vehicles will increase in line with the expansion of gas network.
But safe use of CNG gas has to be ensured," he said.
Petrobangla Chairman Jalal Ahmed, Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Managing Director Shahidul Abedin and Bangladesh CNG Filing Station & Conversion Workshop Owners Association President Shafiul Islam Kamal also spoke on the occasion.