Around 4,500 litres of condensate were allegedly stolen from a pipeline in Madhabpur upazila of Habiganj through an illegal connection installed by drilling into the line, according to the Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL).
A pipeline carrying condensate from Sylhet to Ashuganj runs along the road through Madhabpur. Recently, a group allegedly drilled into the pipeline near Ratanpur Doctor Bari and installed an unauthorised connection using a special technique. They used a hosepipe to siphon off the condensate.
GTCL security personnel detected the operation on November 4, prompting members of the group to flee. Equipment allegedly used in the theft was recovered from the site. Two water tanks used to store condensate were also seized from a pond at the house of Islam Uddin, a former member of the Noapara Union Parishad.
Madhabpur Police Station Sub-Inspector Shamsuddin Chowdhury said a motor, a hosepipe, two water tanks for storing oil and several drums were seized from the house with GTCL's assistance.
GTCL said approximately 4,500 litres of condensate had been stolen from the pipeline. The company warned that the operation could have caused a devastating fire.
GTCL Deputy Manager Md Zayed Hossain said the people involved could have been killed instantly if the illegal connection had failed.
On Thursday, GTCL filed a case with Madhabpur Police Station over the condensate theft, naming several people, including former Noapara Union Parishad member Islam Uddin, as accused.
Madhabpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sohel Rana said the case was under investigation and efforts were underway to arrest the accused.
“We have recovered oil storage drums and some other equipment from the house of the former local union parishad member. We hope to uncover the main details of the incident soon,” he said.
The market value of the stolen condensate is estimated at nearly Tk 275,000.
