Illegal gas users will get the chance to become legal; such an opportunity was given in 2013. The government is thinking of giving yet another chance.
“We are thinking of ways to legalise the connections but decision on the matter has not been taken as yet,” Energy Secretary Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Munim told Bangla Tribune.
Since usage of LPG is rising, the government is not thinking about opening up gas connections.
It’s found that since gas connection is closed many are using gas illegally due to collusion between unscrupulous gas distribution company workers and a class of dishonest contractors. But with such connections, the government loses revenue.
While these are disconnected via periodic drives, they are being restored by users. With election coming up, disconnecting illegal lines is currently suspended.
In mid-2018, plans were taken to restart residential gas connections. However, the government then moved away from the decision.
In 2013, connections were opened and then closed again in 2014.
Titas Gas sources say that in the last nine months, a total 150,660 gas lines were disconnected, with 99 percent being illegal cooking lines.