The use of LPG cylinders in households in Bangladesh has increased a lot. So caution and awareness in using LPG is more important than before. Besides, it is important for the government to pay attention to this sector with policy support. These issues came up in a round table discussion on 'Impact of LPG as a clean fuel on health and safety' organized by Omera, the largest LP gas operator in Bangladesh.
A press release from Omera LPG on Monday informed that the meeting held on Sunday at Omera's corporate office in Dhaka on World Health and Safety Day was aimed at helping to fulfill the International Labor Organization's (ILO) goal of raising awareness and support for safe and healthy workplaces worldwide. The round table discussion on the theme 'Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate' highlighted the current growth of the LPG sector in Bangladesh and various regulations in this sector. Various health and safety implications of LPG are also explored.
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Chairman Nurul Amin presided over the meeting. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Omera LPG Tanjim Chowdhury moderated. Besides, BERC Member (Gas) Helal Uddin NDC, Chief Inspector of Explosives Directorate Mohammad Farooq Hossain, Deputy Director of Fire Service. Kamal Uddin Bhuiyan, Rajuk Member Major (Retd) Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Member (Development), Liaquat Ali Bhuiyan, Senior Vice President, REHAB, Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association Secretary General Imran Hasan, Chefs Federation of Bangladesh President Zaheer Khan, Bangladesh International Hotel Association President, HM Hakeem Ali and Secretary General of LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) Mohammad Ahsanul Jabbar participated in the panel discussion.
BERC chairman Nurul Amin said, once village mothers used to get covered in smoke while cooking. Village housewives have been freed from that suffering after LPG cylinder came. They want the use of LPG to increase at a greater rate. He said, 'We will formulate rules and guidelines to make the use of LPG safe. In order to create responsibility as well as awareness in this regard. This sector has unlimited potential. So sector wise planning is very important.
Mohammad Farooq Hossain, chief inspector of the Directorate of Explosives, said that in the last two and a half months, including the Bailey Road accident, cylinder explosions were reported in three major incidents in Dhaka and Gazipur, but they did not find any signs or evidence of cylinder explosions. Emphasizing on the usage rules and warnings on each cylinder, he said that many operators have been given LPG licenses at present. These operators have numerous distributors. He urged the distributors to be more responsible in transporting and storing LPG.
RAJUK member Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury said that RAJUK has already made a separate structure for gas cylinders in building construction. Rajuk has plans to make gas tanks in the future.
LOAB Secretary General Mohammad Ahsanul Jabbar said that LPG can be one of the main businesses of the country in the future. There is an investment of about 40 thousand crore rupees in this sector. However, this industry is almost entirely dependent on imports. Only 2 percent is produced in the country. The consumption of LPG in the country has increased manifold in a decade. In 2019, the consumption has increased to around 1 million tonnes and the number of customers has also increased to 3.8 million. In 2009, the demand was only 47 thousand tons. The demand is expected to rise to 3 million tonnes in 2030.
Speakers at the meeting said that LPG emits 33 percent less carbon dioxide than coal and 12 percent less than oil. Cooking on LP gas does not produce smoke. Overall, LP gas is a sustainable and healthy fuel for both environment and people.
According to LOAB's forecast, LPG demand is expected to grow at a rate of around 7.4% per annum till 2030, it was informed at the event. As natural gas reserves are depleting and LPG prices are fluctuating, the industrial sector is showing increasing interest in using LPG as an alternative fuel source. The average monthly market size of LPG in Bangladesh is about one and a half lakh metric tons. Out of this, the main 4 operators including Omera are meeting more than 50 percent of the total demand.
