We interviewed Khandaker Atiqur Rahman, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Natural Gas Vehicles Association (BANGVA), who referred to the current situation of gas vehicles in the Asian country, its problems and the future of this market.
How was Bangladesh
Natural Gas Vehicles Association born?
Bangladesh Natural Gas Vehicles Association (BANGVA) was born in 2005. NGV become popular once Bangladesh Government allowed private owners to set CNG refueling stations as well as conversion of vehicles in 2004. There was no other association that owner’s association in this sector, so BANGVA management felt to form a platform for all NGV users, government and private investors, owners, agencies related to gas vehicles and others interested in this activity.
What is the current status of NGV in Bangladesh? How many CNG vehicles and stations are there?
There is no authenticated data about NGV’s in Bangladesh. Government agencies claimed there are 180.000 units including three wheelers, private cars, taxis, buses and trucks. Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL) said this data come from conversion workshops and import department.
BANGVA assumed that the number is more then 200.000 units because there have been many conversions in unauthorized workshops and have not been reported to RPGCL. BANGVA collects information mainly from CNG refueling stations, conversion workshops as well as numbers of NGV’s based on use and capacity.
What is the government position with respect to gas vehicles? Is there any official plan for promotion?
Bangladesh Government gives incentives to CNG refueling as well as conversion workshops to import equipments, cylinders, kits duty free. Also Government is converting its own vehicles to CNG and restricted new petrol/diesel vehicles purchase instead of CNG. Government is also encouraging public buses to be 100% CNG operated and encourages private transport owners to convert its vehicles but since initial investment for bus/truck is too high it is required bank/government credit support and easy installment payment to boost existing diesel bus/truck conversion.
What are the main challenges of the Bangladesh market?
Permission to set up a CNG station requires too much time, there are lots of departments involved which need time, money expenditure increases, and lack of coordination between government agencies, so take time for final approval, sometimes it take one year to get permission. Gas supply is irregular and gas pressure in pipeline gets lower, and compressors can not run in low gas pressure and supply. Government has no priority of supplying gas for CNG sector. Investors get less interested and shifted from this sector due to late permission and gas supply issue.
Lack of coordination where to set up CNG refueling stations rather too many stations in one place and there is no station where it is really needed.
Not enough professional expertise to suggest selection of equipments, placements of stations, feasibility studies for the project, and wrong selection of equipments even old and outdated technologies purchased from vendors. CNG vendors have not proper knowledge and give wrong information to investors, so after a few days the problems begin and vendors feel project unviable and not profitable.
BANGVA tries to educate CNG investors, owners as well as NGV users and interested people through information received around the world.
What were the results of the ANGVA Green Highways 2009?
Green Highways 2009 was a good initiative but less people was informed. Government should give more priority for such type projects. Sponsors are required and organizers should inform earlier. BANGVA only get an email from ANGVA after the rally was over. There is lack of coordination and sharing between users and related association.
What will be the site of the
Asia Pacific region in the NGV world market during 2010?
Asia will be the fastest growing NGV market in the world. Iran, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Malaysia all are growing faster than other part of the world nowadays.
