Explorers have struck gas about 32km north of the Shahbazpur Gas Field in Bhola, a southern coastal district. A total of 600 billion cubic feet of gas has been found in Bheduria union, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam disclosed to reporters at the Secretariat yesterday.

The authorities may award an unsolicited contract to an Indian company to build a medium-sized power plant in Bhola island that would run on gas from Shahbazpur gas field or on imported petroleum, according to a competent source in Power Development Board (PDB).