Diesel Quality and sulfur content
Bangladesh currently consumes about 23, 00,000
metric tons of diesel annually. 30% of the diesel consumed for irrigation and
remaining is mostly as transport fuel. The Bnagladesh Standards and Testing
Institute decides specification for diesel and the Bangladesh Petroleum
Corporation is the sole importer of petroleum products other than lubricants.
The current level of sulfur content in diesel is 2500-ppm and the government
does not have any immediate plan to reduce diesel sulfur to 500-ppm because of
the price differential between 2500-ppm and 500-ppm sulfur diesel.
Bangladesh
currently does not have any auto fuel policy. In other countries, there is a
plan for the improvement of auto fuel over a period of time that enables
manufacturer of automobiles, importers and all other stakeholders to prepare
for any change. Lack of any auto fuel policy makes it difficult to regulate
contents in fuels. In case of
introduction of low sulfur diesel, infrastructure is also a great problem. In
case of introduction of low sulfur fuel, there will be a severe dearth of
infrastructure in storage and marketing. To overcome this dearth of
infrastructure, a huge investment will be need. Mobilizing financial resources
for the purpose is a huge task for the GoB.
Diesel
Adulteration
Earlier on adulteration of diesel with
kerosene was rampant. But by reducing price difference between these 2 products
and also by dyeing the kerosene it could be reduced substantially.
Quality of Lubricants
Unlike other petroleum products, private
sector can import lubricants. Bangladesh
imports about 80,000 MT of lubricants annually by public and private sector
companies. There is allegation of adulteration in lubricants. Government notifies specifications for
lubricants but enforcement is lacking in case of adulteration.
Use of
Alternative Fuels
The most viable and abundantly available
automobile alternative fuel in Bangladesh is the CNG. The introduction of CNG
is a success story for Bangladesh.
It started in 1983 through a World Bank under pilot project with setting up of
4 CNG stations in Dhaka. Later on private
sector was also involved in expansion of CNG and proved to be highly
successful. Current statistics on CNG filling stations, conversion workshops
and number of converted vehicles are as follows.
Table-2
(As on November 2006)
|
Sl
|
Item
|
Nos/Amount
|
Location/Type
|
|
01
|
CNG Filling Stations in
operation
|
136
|
Dhaka-85
|
|
02
|
CNG Filling Stations to
come to operation by January, 2007
|
14
|
Dhaka-04
|
|
03
|
CNG Conversion Workshops
|
87
|
Dhaka-52
|
|
04
|
CNG-converted vehicles
|
60,557
|
Dhaka-50, 664
|
|
05
|
CNG Vehicles in Bangladesh
|
99,004
|
|
|
06
|
CNG Filling Stations
established on government land
|
29
|
|
|
07
|
CNG Filling Stations
established in existing Petrol Filling Stations
|
40
|
|
|
08
|
Amount of natural gas used
as CNG
|
23.00 mmcm
|
|
It may be mentioned here that CNG has
also been expanding in other cities outside Dhaka and it got a tremendous boost
after the recent global fuel price hike.
In order to popularize CNG use as auto fuel
government is following the policy to keep a huge price difference with petrol
and diesel. Currently CNG price is Taka 8.50 per m³ while price of octane Taka
54.75 per liter, petrol is Taka 52.83 per liter and diesel is Taka 30.96 per
liter. So, diesel is 4 times, while octane and petrol are about 7 and 6.5 times
respectively costlier than CNG. The reason and rationale for following such a
policy is quite clear.
·
First, to save valuable foreign currency in
importing of petroleum products, and;
·
Second, to address the problem of air pollution.
But
the government should make some appropriate amendments in the Motor Vehicle
Ordinace 1983 to give a sound legal basis by clearing recognizing CNG as an
auto fuel and conversion to CNG a legal thing. The Government in a notification
in 1 March 2005
under The Explosive Act, 1884 has made codes for CNG conversion kits and
fitting procedure and scrutinizes the imported of the items at the time of
import. In India,
under the relevant Act rules for CNG kits, accessories and their testing had
been formulated. But comprehensive rules yet to be formulated on CNG kits,
accessories and their testing. In case of Bangladesh, the CNG codes on motor
vehicle conversion and conversion kits as prescribed in the CNG Rules 2005 have
to be incorporated in the Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1983. This is necessary to
enforce the codes while carrying out fitness inspections of CNG vehicles that
are paramount for ensuring vehicle safely using CNG.
So far, CNG technology (filling station,
cylinder, conversion kits etc.) has entered into the market of Bangladesh from various countries like New Zealand, Brazil,
Italy, South Korea and India. But CNG buses are being
imported from mainly from 2 countries-China and India. As is apparent from the
present market scenario, the operators of CNG vehicles have opted for new CNG
vehicles rather than spending money on the conversion of the diesel vehicles to
CNG. From the view point of both safety and emission control this is definitely
the better option.
New and
in-use emission standards & Inspections
Bangladesh has formulated emission standards
for vehicles under the Environment Conservation Rules 1997. The new standard
has been notified in 2005. But at present there exists no equipped laboratory
to test new vehicles for their compliance of standards. So there is a need for
establishing such a laboratory. Moreover, roadside checking of emission
standards can be apart of an audit program to check the emission profiles of
vehicles and create awareness. To have the in-use emission standard enforced,
it is necessary to make it a part of the annual fitness test of a vehicle. In
India, the emission standards for both new and in-use vehicles have been made
part of relevant Ordinance and Rules to make it mandatory to meet new and
in-use emission standards to in order to obtain both registration and fitness
certificate. Unless, the same is done in case of Bangladesh, enforcement of the
in-use emission standards will not take place.
