Ashuganj urea factory resumes after two months

Production of urea fertiliser at the Ashuganj factory has resumed after a two-month suspension due to technical problems.

Brahmanbaria Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 2 Jan 2015, 11:26 AM
Updated : 2 Jan 2015, 11:26 AM

The halt resulted in a production loss of 1,200 metric tons daily, leading to a total loss of around Tk 1 billion.

The authorities of the Ashuganj Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited, however, said there was no chance of any crisis of urea for cultivation because of adequate imported reserves.

Company General Manager Omar Khayyam said the production resumed at 10am on Friday.

The production of urea had been stopped from Mar 17 to August following an industry ministry order issued due to gas shortage, he said.

The malfunction of the super heater of boiler unit and pump had caused about a 10-day production halt, though the supply of gas resumed in September, he said.

“Finally,” he added, “the factory was closed from Nov 3 because of a malfunctioning of syngas compressor rotor.”

A rotor, kept as a spare part brought from Italy after repairs, was fitted and the factory restarted on Dec 28, he said. “It resumed production on Friday morning,” he added.

Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) aimed to produce 170,000 metric tons of urea in this fiscal.

A total of 42,700 metric tons of urea was produced in past six months.

General Manager (commercial) Mohamad Mostafizur Rahman said the factory’s reserve is 639 metric tons.

“Besides,” he added, “the reserve of imported fertiliser is 47,663 metric tons and more will be imported. So there is no scope of a crisis in urea fertiliser.”