Why does Titas want to increase the residential gas bill!



Serajul Islam Siraj, Special Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Lalmatia resident Dr. Monirul Islam uses prepaid gas meter. Tk. 500 a month gas cannot finish. The meter goes to Tk. 400 per month with rent.

Another house of Dr. Monirul Islam is in Aruna Palli of Savar. Even if there is no one there, he has to pay a bill of Tk. 1080 per month. But both of its connections are under the same distribution company Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company. He told Barta24.com about these two experiences just a few miles apart. On the opposite side of his house in Dhanmondi, customers without meters have to pay extra bills.

He said, 5 people cook in my Lalmatia house. Never had to recharge more than Tk. 500. And paying bills for 3 years in a row where we don't live. That is more than double.

Monirul Islam expressed his regret and said that he saw the news in the newspaper that the profit bonus is being taken by cutting the customer's pocket. I saw in the newspaper that the officers and employees of Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company received a bonus of Tk. 18 lakh each year. We pay the bills and they are making mountains of money.

Abed Ali, a resident of Rupnagar residential area (Road 19), a prepaid meter user, told Barta24.com that his family has 4 members. Tk. 350 to Tk. 450 taka recharge month passes. This is more or less the experience of gas prepaid meter users. Those who have more family members are spending a maximum of Tk. 600.

Fixed bill is collected for unmetered residential customers which is currently equal to two stoves of 60 cubic meters and one stove of 55 cubic meters. Whether the customer uses, does not use or uses more. Gas distribution companies have been saying for decades that unmetered residential customers are burning more gas. By saying this, the price is increased from time to time. Their point was that installing meters would increase their revenue. But when the first prepaid meter was installed in Lalmatia area (in 2016), the result was reversed. It was seen that the bills of pre-paid meter users were coming from Tk. 150 to Tk. 250 (then the bill of unmetered customers was Tk. 450 for two stoves).

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said in the question and answer session in the Jatiya Sangsad(JS) in 2016, the results of the pilot project of installing pre-paid meters are good. 33 cubic meters of gas is being saved per month in two stoves. At that time the bill of 77.41 cubic meters was fixed in two burners. That is, customers are burning 45 cubic meters of gas.

Before the pilot project, the movement to install gas prepaid meters was noticeable. But now distribution companies have taken a strategic position to delay as much as possible. Out of 38 lakh residential customers, only about 4 lakh meters have been installed in 8 years. The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is pushing for the customers to buy and install themselves due to the slow-moving policy of the companies.

BERC ordered expediting installation of pre-paid meters in 2018 in response to hike in gas prices. It was decided to open the facility so that customers can buy and install meters from the market themselves. Accordingly, after a long wait, a policy was formulated in 2021. The policy states that the customer will purchase the meter from the store of his choice and submit it to the distribution company. Distribution companies will test and install at customer's premises. However, it has been detained due to various complications. Companies are installing meters at prices several times higher than the market. That too slowly. Companies are starting to think of it as a new sector of looting.

BERC held a public hearing on the latest gas price hike in March last year. Then, based on the usage statistics of prepaid customers of the distribution companies, one stove was reduced from 73.41 cubic meters and two stoves from 77.41 cubic meters to 55 and 60 cubic meters respectively.

Titas Gas has applied to BERC to increase the existing one stove from 55 cubic meters (Tk. 990) to 76.65 cubic meters (Tk. 1379.70), two stoves from 60 cubic meters (Tk. 1080) to 88.44 cubic meters (Tk. 1591.92). Although the application was submitted in May this year, the matter was kept under wraps after much controversy. However, recently it has been known about the start of activities in this regard quite secretly.

BERC Chairman Nurul Amin said that the proposal to increase the gas bill of Titas will be taken up in the commission meeting soon.

Titas claims that unmetered consumers use more gas than the prescribed amount (55 and 60 cubic meters). As a result the system loss has increased. An application has been made to make one stove 76.65 cubic meters and two stoves 88.44 cubic meters. The earlier orders given by BERC were not realistic.

Former member of BERC (then member - Gas) Maqbul E-Elahi Chowdhury told Barta24.com, I think it should have been below 50 cubic meters. 55 and 60 cubic meters were done for the first time respectively. Provisions are then made for installation of prepaid meters and subsequent reductions.

In response to the question that on what basis 55 and 60 cubic meters have been made, he said that they had 3.5 lakh prepaid meters where it was seen that 45 was used on an average.

In response to a question, he said, will you consider 3.5 lakh meters, or their (Titas gas) 100 meters. If more gas is used in a particular area, then a meter should be installed there quickly, it will not be logical to increase the bill of 34 lakh customers.

BERC has started the process of increasing the gas bill of unmetered residential customers. It is said that two officials entered the field in collaboration with Titas and Petrobangla. They want it quickly to implement the card application.

Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) senior vice-president and energy advisor Shamsul Alam told Barta24.com that BERC must hold a public hearing to respond to Titas' application. There is no opportunity to increase the bill without public hearing. When the public hearing starts, there will be a discussion on this matter with data. I don't see any justification for increasing the bill.

Government to provide treatment & income to all injured: Prime Minister



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Photo: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the government will provide treatment and income to all those injured in the recent violence, regardless of party affiliation.

She said this while visiting the injured at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Friday (July 26). Meanwhile, she inquired about the physical condition of the injured.

Sheikh Hasina said that the government will do whatever is necessary for the treatment of those injured in the violence. The government will take responsibility for the treatment of the injured, whichever party they belong to.

She also said, even after accepting all the demands on the quota, why is the movement not ending? Everyone at home and abroad should be vocal against the violence and brutality of BNP-Jamaat.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister visited several wards of Dhaka Medical College Hospital and inquired about the injured. She talked to doctors and nurses. She ordered to give all kinds of treatment to the injured.

Earlier in the morning, the head of government visited the Bangladesh Television (BTV) building damaged by vandals' attack and fire at Rampura in the capital.

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BRUR administration provided financial assistance to the family of Abu Sayed



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Rangpur
BRUR administration provided financial assistance to the family of Abu Sayed

BRUR administration provided financial assistance to the family of Abu Sayed

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The university administration has provided financial assistance to the family of Abu Sayed, a 12th batch student of the English department of Begum Rokeya University of Rangpur(BRUR), who was killed in the quota reform movement.

On Friday (July 26) at 10:30 a.m., a check of Tk. seven and a half lakh was handed over to the family of the deceased Abu Sayed.

At that time, Maqbul Hossain, the old father of the deceased Abu Sayed, said that at that time the VC sir spoke to me on the mobile phone. He asked about our welfare. He promised to be by our side. I told sir that one of our family should be given a job in the University. VC sir assured.

Maqbul Hossain also said, the piece of my liver was Abu Sayed. My family was running on the money saved from his private tuition. I have lost a child; there is no consolation for this grief.

University Proctor Shariful Islam, General Secretary of Teachers' Association Asaduzzaman Mandal Asad and President of Officials' Association Ferozul Islam were present while providing financial assistance on behalf of the University administration.

Proctor Shariful Islam said, the University administration is always in touch with the parents of Abu Sayed on the instructions of the VC. VC sir himself is looking for Sayed's family, he has promised to stand by the family. As a part of this, financial assistance of Tk. seven and a half lakh has been provided today. He said that this cooperation will continue.

Incidentally, on last Tuesday (July 16) there was a clash between the police and the Chhatra League at the park junction adjacent to Begum Rokeya University with the protesting students demanding quota reform. In this, Abu Sayed, who was in the front of the procession, died by gunshot. After this incident, the movement gained momentum throughout the country. Abu Sayed was one of the coordinators of Begum Rokeya University quota reform movement.

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To whom I will say life-life!



Kabir Ahmed, Assistant Editor, Barta24.com, Dhaka
To whom I will say life-life

To whom I will say life-life

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Poet Helal Hafiz has written a poem titled 'Je Jale Agun Jaley'. The name of the poem written in black in this book of his poetry is 'Vulgar Civilization'. A two-word title poem, and a complete poem of only two lines; 'Neutron bombs understand / Humans don't understand!' What a powerful source of two lines. What a source of great power is the title of the poem. The civilization that despises people and people's lives can't be obscene!

The poem is from the eighties, yet relevant all the time. In many ways the two lines come into discussion. More so, when trying to distinguish between the living and the inanimate comes to the fore. When there is an attempt to make other things important by keeping people secondary. The poem has stirred again during this quota movement. Those who enter the field to demand realization of demands, their demands may be reasonable, may be unreasonable, whether their demands are accepted or not may be a matter of policy-making level; But the application of force? No, of course not! The matter is inhumane, obscene!

While the first phase of the 2018 quota movement was isolated fights, the second phase of the 2024 quota movement was violence. In this violence, the movement was hijacked by the infiltration of dark assailants, vandalism took place, huge damage was done to state assets, people were endangered, normal civil life was interrupted, the state was in crisis of existence, the government was in disarray, anarchy was created in the country, people's lives were not safe; all true there is no denying it. Who is responsible, who is responsible, why is responsible, how is the discussion going on here? Attempts to start a discussion are also not noticeable. Before this, under the grip of the division, efforts are being made to achieve their own ambitions, especially political benefits.

There are no statistics on how many lives have been lost in this movement and post-movement violence. The government has informed how many policemen have been attacked, how many policemen have been injured. The judicial inquiry committee that the government has made, the committee will investigate only 6 deaths on the first day of violence, make comments, give various recommendations. The countless deaths beyond that will not be discussed much. I do not see the possibility of a trial, because usually those responsible for such deaths get informal impunity. It is feared that this time will not be an exception. But there is no doubt that mud will be thrown even if there is no trial.

Police is the law enforcement force. They have accurate calculations. The concerned authorities will keep an account of how many people have been affected by the violence, and how many of them have been injured by participating in the violence. There will be compensation for their families. They have the authority to take responsibility. But others...? As they have no account, there is no one to take responsibility. As a result, there will be no compensation for them, not even the slightest sympathy from any authority. Rather, each death will increase the suffering of the family members. Many families will have to bear various burdens due to the division.

Any death is unwanted. Some of the people who lost their lives in this huge violence were part of the violence; some were under its control. We had the opportunity to look at the matter as a human death rather than finding responsibility, but is that opportunity being taken at all? Here, who is anti-government, and who is pro-government - the dividing line drawn here is ultimately a replica of 'vulgar civilization'. What a horrible picture of people not understanding.

To prevent violence, the government has imposed a curfew in the country to bring the situation under control. It is claimed that efforts are being made to preserve greater rights by curtailing civil rights. The country is tolerating the issue of neglecting civil rights thinking that the light of day is coming at the end of darkness.

The lives lost in the post-movement violence will never return. We can convey to the state the demand for ensuring good treatment for those who are injured. But the treatment is also in the face of uncertainty. According to media reports, many are leaving the hospital before the end of treatment due to fear of arrest. Now that the government is on the case, many are likely to be arrested. Many of the injured are part of the violence, while others are simply injured by the accident — with doubts about whether they will even be able to complete treatment. In such a situation, the police's opportunistic circle also becomes active. Here is a lot of business!

The quota movement was not under the control of the students until the end. The country was not even under government control at the end. Law enforcement forces beat as well as beat. Curfew is being implemented in the country along with the regular forces to bring the situation under control. Lathi-charges-bullets-fires-gas-pepper sprays were all there. People were in danger. Now there are reports of deaths of people who were not part of this conflict, who were shot on roofs, streets, balconies, and died. Even though there is no accurate data on the number, nor is the government interested, it is not possible to deny these deaths.

The death of at least two hundred people is being reported through different media. No one knows exactly what this number is. But we know institutionally, this violence has caused various damages to government facilities. Foreign Minister Mohammad Hasan Mahmood visited the ruins along with high-ranking diplomats of various countries and organizations. Various ministers including the Prime Minister are visiting different places. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was overwhelmed with emotion after visiting the metro rail station. Her cry has touched us too. She asked the countrymen to judge it.

The damage to brick-stone-technology and various media structures has caused huge financial loss to the state. Governments and heads of government are getting emotional showing the financial losses. Determine its financial value which is also going to be part of the political campaign. But the people, who died, the people who were killed, are little talked about. In the way the state is moving forward, the matter of equal value judgment is a priority. As we are not part of the government, we are interested in seeing government facilities and assets as intangibles, assuming that even if it is an undesirable event, it is fulfilling. But the waste of life, I know because it will not be fulfilled.

The government as an institution is busy in determining the financial value from an institutional point of view, but we as human beings, even if the financial loss hurts us, we give priority to the value of human life as a human aspect, and I think this is a matter of discussion. If there is money, there will be metro rail, public and private facilities will be renovated, built, hundreds of thousands of cars can be bought; but even if there is money, not even a drop of blood can be made for people; And to return life, it is impossible!

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Prime Minister visited the destruction of BTV building



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Prime Minister visited the destruction of BTV building

Prime Minister visited the destruction of BTV building

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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the office of Bangladesh Television (BTV), which was affected by the violence surrounding the quota reform movement.

He visited the damaged BTV building on Friday (July 26) morning.

Miscreants set fire to the BTV center in Rampura of the capital during the quota reform movement on Thursday, July 18 at around 2 pm. The fire gutted the reception, canteen and a bus inside the TV centre.

Director General (DG) of BTV Dr. Jahangir Alam said miscreants set fire to BTV center, burnt many things including cameras. A lot of equipment was also looted. They burned 17 of our cars, vandalized 9 cars and burnt two broadcasting vans. The fire also caused a lot of damage to the building.

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