After nearly three decades of policy oscillation between costly CNG and LNG transport schemes, an in-principle decision has finally been taken by the Prime Minister to construct a permanent 201-kilometer gas transmission pipeline connecting Bhola, Barishal, and Khulna. Energy experts have welcomed the move as the most sustainable and cost-effective path to utilize the island district's surplus natural gas reserves.
According to project assessments presented to the Prime Minister, the 96-km Bhola–Barishal segment—whose feasibility study is complete—will cost an estimated BDT 1,931 crore, while the 105-km Barishal–Khulna section (currently undergoing feasibility study) is projected at BDT 2,200 crore, bringing the total outlay to BDT 4,131 crore. The Development Project Proposal (DPP) is slated for completion within the next three months, with Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) aiming to execute the project via two separate tenders over a three-year timeframe.
Read nextGovernment Approves BDT 96.54 Crore Procurement of 1.93 Crore Cycles of Oral Contraceptive PillsBy abandoning earlier proposals to transport gas as LNG or CNG—which inflated unit costs to BDT 47.50 and would have required 700 ISO tankers or 1,600 specialized trucks daily at a projected cost of BDT 9,300 crore for just 30 MMCFD—the pipeline will supply gas to three idle power plants in Khulna, unlocking 1,244 MW of electricity generation capacity. Currently, Bhola’s three discovered gas fields and nine wells possess a daily production capacity of 190 MMCFD, of which only 70 MMCFD is utilized locally. With plans to drill 15 additional wells, BAPEX estimates daily production could rise to 300–400 MMCFD, driving industrialization and employment across southwestern Bangladesh.
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Reported by Staff Reporter • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
