Chairman of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Nurul Amin on Monday said rules and guidelines will be formulated to make the use of LPG cylinders safe.
"The LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) sector has unlimited potential," he said, adding that in order to create responsibility as well as awareness, the sector-wise planning is very important.
The BERC chairman was addressing a discussion meeting titled: "The Impact of LPG as Clean Fuel on Health and Safety" organised by Omera, the country's leading LPG operator, at its headquarters in the city on Monday.
The discussion delved into the current growth of Bangladesh's LPG sector, addressed regulatory hurdles faced by operators, and explored the health and safety implications of LPG.
Mentioning that there is a huge market for LPG in the country, the BERC chairman said, "Earlier we used to see fish markets in villages, later we saw tree markets. Now we see LPG markets in rural areas."
He announced that BERC will organise a workshop with stakeholders, businessmen and others related to the sector.
The discussion on World Day for Health and Safety, aimed to uphold the International Labor Organization's (ILO) mission to raise awareness and advocate for safer and healthier workplaces worldwide.
The roundtable was also addressed by Dr. MD. Helal Uddin, member of BERC; Mohammad Faruque Hossain, Chief Inspector, Department of Explosives; Md Kamal Uddin Bhuiyan, BFM, Deputy Director (Operations & Maintenance) Fire Service and Civil Defense Directorate; Major (Engr.) Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury (Retd), Member (Development), RAJUK; Liakat Ali Bhuiyan, Sr. Vice-President, Real Estate & Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB); Imran Hassan, Secretary-General, Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association; Jahir Khan, President, Chef's Federation of Bangladesh; HM Hakim Ali, President, Bangladesh International Hotel Association and Muhammed Ahsanul Jabbar, Secretary General, LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB).
The meeting was moderated by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tanzeem Chowdhury of Omera Petroleum Limited.
He said Omera, as the largest LPG operator in Bangladesh, reaffirms its commitment to providing environmentally friendly alternative energy solutions.
During the meeting, the speakers said the impact of LPG on the environment and health is profound and positive. In comparison to other fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, LPG emits significantly fewer pollutants, with CO2 emissions being 33% less than coal and 12% less than oil.
Furthermore, they said, LPG combustion does not produce smoke, making it a cleaner option for indoor and outdoor use.
In terms of environmental conservation, just one metric ton of LPG can save the equivalent of 47 full-grown trees, highlighting its role in mitigating deforestation, they observed.
It was noted in the discussion that the Bangladesh LPG sector has witnessed investment to the tune of $3 billion, overwhelmingly from the private sector and accordingly 98% of the market share is held by private companies. Many factors act as catalysts in the development of this sector.
Speakers at the event said that the use of LPG cylinders in homes and commercial segments in Bangladesh has increased a lot. Consequently, caution and awareness in LPG use is more important than before. Besides, it is important for the government to pay attention to this sector with policy support.
Mohammad Faruque Hossain, chief inspector of the Directorate of Explosives, said that in many cases negative propaganda is done about LPG cylinders without knowing. In the last two and a half months, including the Bailey Road accident, three major incidents in Dhaka and Gazipur have been said to have involved cylinder explosions, but we have not found any evidence.
RAJUK Member (Development) Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury (retd) said that RAJUK has been making separate structures for gas cylinders for a long time in building buildings. RAJUK has plans to make gas tanks in the near-future.
According to the LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) forecast, LPG demand is expected to grow at an annual rate of around 7.4% till 2030. 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 around one and a half lakh metric tonnes. Of these, 5 operators including Omera are meeting-up more than 50 percent of the total demand.