Gas supply improves significantly following PM's directive: Mahdi Amin

Gas supply across the country has increased significantly following Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's directive, and the improvement is expected to continue in the coming days, said Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Spokesperson Mahdi Amin today (16 September).

"The implementation of what the prime minister said began within a very short time. Gas flow has increased significantly, and we can see visible improvement in the supply situation. InshaAllah, this positive trend will continue in the coming days," he said.

Mahdi made the remarks at a press conference at the PMO, marking seven months of the government led by Tarique Rahman.

He said the prime minister has recently held meetings with business leaders and the media personalities to address the gas supply crisis and directed the authorities to take the maximum possible steps to restore the situation based on reality and ensure that industries could resume normal operations.

"The objective was to ensure that industries become fully operational again and that Bangladesh's economy can continue on its potential and onward trajectory," the spokesperson said.

He said the government made "positive progress" in public welfare during its seven months in office, although it could not resolve all problems in such a short period.

Mahdi said the government is working with specific action plans and accountability, while tackling challenges ranging from foreign debt pressures and administrative reforms to corruption-free public services, education, healthcare and strengthening Bangladesh's position in diplomacy.

"From every step, the government's commitment to the country and its people is reflected," he said

The PMO spokesperson said the government is rebuilding Bangladesh from what he described as the "ruins" left after 17 years of the previous rule.

"It is difficult to solve all problems 100% within just seven months. But in the current elected and accountable government, whose only source of power is the people, the highest level of sincerity and goodwill is visible in every step," he said.

Mahdi called for unity beyond political and other differences to build a prosperous, self-reliant, humane, safe and people-oriented Bangladesh.

He said the government's measures over the past month could broadly be divided into seven areas: youth empowerment, education, information technology and innovation; overall public welfare and improvement of living standards; women's advancement, universal welfare and social protection; environment-friendly energy and climate-resilient industrialisation; modern health infrastructure and public health; transport infrastructure and traffic management; and institutional good governance, public diplomacy and foreign relations.

The spokesperson highlighted the approval of a new national pay scale for government employees, ranging from Tk20,000 to Tk1.56 lakh, as one of the measures taken to improve the financial well-being of public servants.

Other measures, he said, included extending institutional mobile allowances to government employees of all grades, increasing the maximum net pension of retired employees by up to 100% and providing a monthly allowance of Tk3,000 for their children with special needs.

Mahdi said the government also withdrew the requirement for prior Finance Division approval for recruitment and renewal of outsourced manpower to speed up official activities and took steps to prevent long-term postings of officials at the same workplace in the land administration sector.

He said the government passed legislation ensuring parents' lifetime possession and use of property even after transferring ownership through donation.

The spokesperson also mentioned initiatives to provide special national awards of Tk 1 lakh each to 100 meritorious teachers, increase grants to the Journalist Welfare Trust and expand programmes such as Family Card, Farmers' Card and regular government allowances for imams and muezzins.

On women's welfare, he said the government has taken an initiative to establish a joint institutional framework with an international cyber security network to prevent harassment and violence against women in cyberspace.

Mahdi said plans are also being formulated to provide universal stipends to all female students in primary and secondary educational institutions and ensure nutritious food at schools.

He said 20,000 tea workers in Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Habiganj will receive modern raincoats as part of measures to protect the health and safety of women working in the tea industry.

On the energy sector, the spokesperson said a programme to drill 150 new gas wells nationwide has begun as a medium-term measure to address the gas crisis, with another 150 wells planned in the next phase.

He said plans have been taken to increase the number of floating storage regasification units (FSRUs) from the existing two to five in phases, and efforts are underway to launch a third FSRU before 2028, if possible.

The government has also given in-principle approval to import 18 LNG cargoes through direct procurement from global suppliers, Mahdi said.

For long-term energy security, international financing of $1 billion has been secured for expansion of the Eastern Refinery in Chattogram, and work had begun, he said.

In the power sector, the spokesperson said 1,046.73 megawatts of electricity that remained suspended from the national grid due to technical problems have been restored.

He also highlighted plans for a 500MW power plant and a large fertiliser factory in Bhola, addition of 200MW of solar power to the national grid and a five-year plan to convert all diesel-powered irrigation pumps to solar energy.

Mahdi said the government has taken measures to ensure uninterrupted agricultural production, including maintaining a fertiliser stock of 5.155 million metric tonnes, 1.568 million tonnes above projected demand through February.

He said a central control room has also been planned to monitor fertiliser supply.

The spokesperson also mentioned the return to production of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited after a six-month shutdown and initiatives to gradually reopen factories that had remained closed for various reasons.

In the health sector, he said the government plans to build 15-storey specialised general hospitals in Dhaka and the country's other eight divisional cities.

Mahdi said a policy decision has been taken to operate the newly built super-specialised hospital under a modern international corporate management model.

Plans are also underway to expand affordable dialysis services to every district and upazila and increase the number of beds at Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital to 1,800, he said

The spokesperson mentioned the foundation-laying for an international-standard specialised burn and plastic surgery centre at Rangpur Medical College, plans for a national e-health platform and steps to restore the supply of essential medicines and modern medical equipment to community clinics.

He said 19.771 million children have been vaccinated against measles and rubella across the country over the past five months, exceeding the target.

Mahdi also referred to the government's three-month nationwide dengue prevention and cleanliness campaign, which began in the presence of the prime minister, as part of efforts to curb the spread of dengue.

He said a feasibility study and detailed design have been prepared for installing electric traction to operate electric trains on the Dhaka-Chattogram corridor.

Plans are also underway to construct a four-lane uninterrupted expressway from Dhaka to the City Gate in Chattogram and extend the Dhaka-Cox's Bazar intercity express train service, Mahdi said.

He also said the government directed the introduction of a fully cashless automated radio-frequency identification toll system within the next four months.

Among other measures, the spokesperson mentioned plans to relocate Karwan Bazar's wholesale kitchen market to Gabtoli and the Fulbaria bus terminal to Keraniganj to ease traffic congestion in Dhaka.

On governance, he said seven leaders of what he described as the "fascist organisation" have been sentenced to death by a court for genocide-related offences, while orders have also been issued to confiscate 50% of the movable and immovable property of five of those sentenced to death.

Mahdi said the government has also formally handed permanent appointment letters for government jobs to eligible members of 74 families of those killed in the July mass uprising.

He highlighted the formation of parliamentary standing committees, regular parliamentary oversight of ministries, the decision not to use honorific terms such as "Mahamanaya" or "Mananiya" before the president and prime minister in official documents, and the introduction of biometric attendance at land offices in phases.

Mahdi said the government has repaid $2.0476 billion, equivalent to Tk25,163 crore, in foreign loans and interest over the past five months.

He also cited a 13.1% increase in remittances over six months, initiatives to reopen the Malaysian labour market, progress in sending Bangladeshi workers legally to Italy and Oman, and progress in trade negotiations with the European Union.

The spokesperson said Bangladesh has successfully resolved 48 of 61 trade barriers identified by the EU.

He also mentioned a bilateral investment protection and promotion agreement with Hong Kong, financing of up to £2 billion under UK Export Finance for infrastructure development and procurement, and $1 million in emergency humanitarian assistance to Nepal following severe floods.

On defence and aviation, Mahdi said the government has begun the final process of procuring 20 J-10C fourth-generation fighter aircraft from China and is taking steps to equip the Border Guard Bangladesh with surveillance drones.

On fuel prices, the spokesperson said diesel is comparatively cheaper in Bangladesh than in many other countries, particularly neighbouring countries.

He said the government was providing a high level of subsidy on fuel to prevent additional pressure on the people.

At the briefing, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Saleh Shibly and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman also highlighted various public welfare measures taken by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

PM's Speechwriter ASM Mahfuzur Rahman, Deputy Press Secretaries Jahidul Islam Rony and Md Suzauddhowla, Assistant Press Secretaries Md Nazmul Haque Khan, Abdullah Al Mahmud Shahriar,, Asrofa Emdad, Media Coordinator Tariqul Islam and PM's physician ANM Manowarul Kadir Bitu, among others, were present at the briefing.