Live Correspondent: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that the government can provide uninterrupted gas supply to industrialists and businessmen if they agree to pay the same rate what the government spends to procure gas from international market.

"If they want uninterrupted gas supply, they would have to pay the same price what the government needs to procure gas. There is no reason to provide subsidy here," she said replying to an opposition lawmaker in parliament on Wednesday, reports UNB.

The premier said, "We're providing huge subsidy to agriculture. Now if we need to provide Tk 40,000-60,000 crore to electricity-gas generation and supply then how will we provide this?"

She said the loan Bangladesh is taking from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has no significant conditions attached with it. "IMF provides loan to a country only when it has the capacity to repay the loan. We're not taking loan (from IMF) with any conditions," she said

PM Hasina said the government is providing subsidy to power and gas. "My question is that which other country of the world provides subsidy to electricity and gas. We've increased the electricity generation and ensured electricity supply. But all will have to exercise austerity in using electricity," she said.

The premier said the spot price of LNG which was only US$ 6 is now US$ 68 US dollar in the international market. "If so, how much subsidies will the government provide? The government provides the subsidies from the public money," she said.

She said the commodity prices have soared throughout the world. In Bangladesh, the government provided fair price cards and TCB cards to  lower and middle-income people so that they can purchase some essential commodities including rice at subsidised rates, she added.

She said the inflation came down slightly in December and January last in the country. The food inflation is 13.3 percent in a country like England. The same situation prevails in all other countries of the world. But Bangladesh has not fallen into such situation yet, she added.

The PM put emphasis on austerity in usage of electricity and gas. The use of electricity was reduced by 50 percent in Prime Minister's Office and Ganabhaban. If all take such measures, they can practice austerity in the use of electricity, she said

Hasina said her government has taken various measures to ensure no food shortage occurs in the country due to global economic recession and food crisis.

Responding to another question from Awami League lawmaker M Abdul Latif, the premier placed the statistics on the progress building 10 mega projects.

Dhaka, 18 January (campuslive24.com)// AZ