Titas Gas
Titas Gas seeks foreign funding for installing 1.25 million prepaid metres in Dhaka city
The country’s largest state-run natural gas distributor Titas Gas is seeking funds from two major donor agencies to implement its plan to install 1.25 million more prepaid gas metres domestic customers in the capital city.
The financing is being sought from the Asian Development Bank and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), official sources told UNB without specifying the amount as the proposals are still at a discussion stage.
If the move succeeds, more than half the total consumers of the state-run Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company will come under the prepaid gas metre coverage, the sources said.
Read: Seven more city areas set to get prepaid gas metres
This will also increase the number of Titas Gas prepaid metre customers to about 1.710 million from the existing 460,000, said the official sources speaking on condition of anonymity.
Titas Gas, the oldest and largest downstream gas distribution company, has been responsible for supply of natural gas to Dhaka and its adjoining districts including Mymensingh, Netrokona, Sherpur, Jamalpur, Norsingdi, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Gazipur and Narayanganj since its founding in 1964.
“But currently the company has been focusing on just Dhaka city in installing the prepaid gas meters for household consumers where it has the largest network”, said a top official of the company. Over 70 per cent of the total 2.874 million consumers live in the city, he added.
Read Titas moves to overhaul ageing accident-prone pipelines in Dhaka city
Official sources said that the government has been trying to obtain required funding from Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).
“We’ve been discussing with the ADB for long to secure financing for a project to install 549,000 pre-paid meters while similar move is in progress with JBIC to get a support for installing 700,000 prepaid metres”, said a top official of the Titas preferring not to be quoted.
About the move, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said his ministry has forwarded its proposals on the issue to the Economic Relations Division (ERD) of the finance ministry.
Read: Dhaka’s five more areas likely to get prepaid gas metres from July
“If they clear our proposals, we’ll move further to receive the financial support from ADB and JBIC to implement new project for the prepaid gas metering”, he told UNB.
Official sources noted that so far the Titas Gas installed prepaid gas metres in a number of phases.
ACC quizzes three more Titas officials over graft charges
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday questioned another three officials of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company over charges of acquisition of assets through corruption and irregularities.
ACC secretary Anwar Hossain Hawlader told reporters that they were being questioned on various corruption charges, including illegal acquisition of assets.
Deputy director and investigation officer of the Commission Nurul Huda interrogated them at the ACC head office on Sunday from 10.30am to 2 pm.
Read: ACC sues wife of an ex engineer of roads and highways department
A total of 30 officials and employees of Titas Gas are on the scanner of the ACC while it interrogated ten officials of Titas gas and recorded their statements on August 23 in first phases.
ACC informed that the rest of the employees will be quizzed from September 6 to September 8.
Five people were summoned for questioning on Sunday but three came while the other two have applied for the next slot seeking more time.
Those questioned were senior sales assistant at Titas Gas Fayez Ahmed Liton, senior supervisor Harun Aur Rashid and senior supervisor and vice-president of CBA Zakir Hossain.
Read: Evaly is under ACC probe for alleged misappropriation
The company's assistant officer Delwar Hossain and CBA general secretary Farooq Ahmed skipped the ACC call.
The officials being quizzed are – Manager (Planning and Development) of Titas Abdul Wahab, Manager (General Services Division) Moinul Islam, CBA President of Titas and Weilder (retired) Kojimuddin, CBA General Secretary and Assistant Sales Manager Syed Waezuddin Ahmed, Senior Office Assistant Zakir Hossain, Devoloper of Narayanganj SDO of Titas Yusuf Ali Miazi, senior developer Khandakar Yusuf Ali, office clerk of ESS, Savar, Golam Mawla Sardar, office assistant of DGM office Jakir Hossain, and Senior Sales Assistant Saidur Rahman.
ACC investigates graft allegations against 30 Titas Gas officials
The Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating allegations of acquiring illegal assets against 30 officials and employees of Titas Gas Distribution Limited, an ACC official said on Monday.
The Commission's Deputy Director Muhammad Arif Sadeq told UNB that it already questioned 10 officers and employees of the company to verify their statements and financial records.
Also read: ACC investigates SBAC bank chairman for graft
The officials are - Manager(Planning and Development) of Titas Abdul Wahab and Manager ( General Services Division) Moinul Islam, CBA President of Titas and Weilder ( retired) Kojimuddin, CBA General Secretary and Assistant Sales Manager Syed Waezuddin Ahmed, Senior Office Assistant Zakir Hossain, Devoloper of Narayanganj SDO of Titas Yusuf Ali Miazi, senior developer Khandakar Yusuf Ali, office clerk of ESS,Savar, Golam Mawla Sardar, office assistant of DGM office Jakir Hossain, and Senior Sales Assistant Saidur Rahman.
A notice has also been issued to the remaining 20 to appear at the ACC office on September 5 and 6 to record their statements, he said.
Also read: ACC interrogates alleged accomplices of PK Halder at FFIL
Some areas in Dhaka to see disruption in gas supply Saturday
Gas supply will remain suspended in different areas of the national capital for 10 hours from 9 am to 7 pm on Saturday.
According to Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, the areas include Boro Moghbazar, Taltala Gali, Jahabox Lane, Gabtala, Wahab Road, Nayatola, Chairman Gali, Modhubagh and their adjoining areas.
READ: Gas supply to remain suspended in parts of Narayanganj
The consumers of the areas will either have no gas supply or experience low pressure in supply due to works on gas pipeline relocation, said Titas Gas.
READ: Consumers may experience disruption in gas supply until June 16
Consumers may experience disruption in gas supply until June 16
Consumers may experience trouble in gas supply from Monday to Wednesday due to disruption in delivery of imported liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Read: Gas supply to stop in some city areas Tuesday
Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd said consumers may experience disruption or low pressure in gas supply from June 14-16 as unloading of LNG from ships is being disrupted due to inclement weather.
Read: Areas in Dhaka where gas supply to be suspended Sunday
“This creates disturbance in supply of 400 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd) to the transmission system”, it said, adding that consumers of different groups including households, industries, power plants and commercial users may suffer.
Read: Summit Power installs heavy-duty gas turbine at Meghnaghat plant
The Titas Gas regrets the inconveniences of its consumers, it added.
N’ganj mosque blast: SC stays HC order over compensation
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the High Court order asking the authorities concerned of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd to provide Tk 5 lakh each to the families of the Narayanganj mosque blast victims within seven days.
ACC's case filed against Titas Transmission, Dist. companymanager
Anti-Corruption Commission ( ACC) on Tuesday filed a case against Syed Nasir Uddin Ahmed, manager of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited, for allegedly acquiring illegal assets.
Gas supply to remain off for 8 hours in different parts of city Thursday
Gas supply will remain suspended in different areas under World-15 of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and its adjoining areas for 8 hours from 10 am to 6 pm on Thursday for maintenance and rehabilitation works to improve pressure in the gas pipeline.
Some city areas to see disruption in gas supply Friday
Gas supply will remain shut in Gulshan-1, Gulshan -2, Banani, Natun Bazar, Baridhara and their adjoining areas for three hours from 2 pm to 5 pm on Friday.
N’ganj mosque blast: 8 suspended Titas officials get bail
A Narayanganj Court on Monday granted bail to eight suspended officials of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd in a case over the blasts at a mosque in Nayaranganj that left 33 people dead.