Bangladesh shut five fertiliser factories on Saturday to save nearly 250 million cubic feet (mmcft) of natural gas a day in the face of acute electricity shortages, a senior official said. "The gas will be diverted to different power plants to produce more 500 megawatts of electricity," said Mohammad Hossain Monsur, chairman of the state-run Bangladesh Oil, Gas & Mineral Corporation or Petrobangla.
The country faces up to 300 mmcft gas and up to 1,500 mw of electricity shortages a day. Last month the ministry of energy and power decided to stop gas supply to these factories and that would continue till the end of current irrigation season in June for Boro rice crop.
Bangladesh's annual urea demand is around 3.0 million tonnes, of which the country produces 1.8 million tonnes and imports the rest, mainly from China, Tunisia, Australia and a number of Gulf countries. Short supply of fertiliser often trigger violent protest by farmers. In 2006 six people were killed and dozens injured in clashes between police and farmers over the urea shortage, in the country's north. Industries Minister Dilip Barua ruled out the possibility of fertiliser scarcity in the country following temporary closure of the fertiliser factories. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated a 51 mw private power plant and said the government was committed to achieving a target of 7,000 megawatts of electricity by 2013 from the current level of 3,900 mw.
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