Gas crisis disrupts transport, daily life in Ctg

A severe gas shortage is disrupting public transport and residential life in Chattogram, with low gas pressure causing long queues at CNG filling stations across the city. In some areas, vehicle queues have stretched for 1.5 to 2 kilometres. 

Many CNG auto-rickshaws have been unable to take to the roads after waiting for hours without getting gas. The long queues at filling stations have also affected major city roads and the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. Traffic congestion is spreading beyond roads adjacent to the stations into surrounding areas, slowing traffic at several points.

With fewer CNG auto-rickshaws available, passenger pressure has increased on buses. Passengers have also complained that fares on some routes are Tk10-15 higher than the regular rates. There are also allegations of additional fares of Tk50-100 on oil-powered small vehicles.

Gas crisis deepens in Ctg as supply drops 45%, over 6 lakh consumers hit

Abdul Gafur, a CNG auto-rickshaw driver waiting at a filling station in the Oxygen area, told TBS today, "I have been standing in line since 7am. I could not fill my vehicle with gas until the afternoon. The pressure is so low that filling one vehicle takes three to four times longer than usual."

Another driver, Gafur Ahmed, said some auto-rickshaws that can run on both gas and oil have been able to operate using oil, while many vehicles that run only on gas have been unable to take to the roads.

More pressure on buses

With fewer CNG-run auto-rickshaws available, passengers are having to wait for long periods even for short-distance journeys. As an alternative, more people are turning to buses.

Passengers said the New Market-Oxygen, Bahaddarhat-New Market, Kalurghat-Kathgarh and Bhatiari-Patenga routes have been particularly affected. Pressure on alternative public transport has also increased in Oxygen, 2 No Gate, Muradpur, GEC, Tigerpass, Agrabad, EPZ and Bandar Tila.

Latifun Nahar, a garment worker in the EPZ area, told TBS, "The number of CNG auto-rickshaws has fallen because of the gas crisis. So we are being forced to take buses. But we also have to pay higher fares. This additional expense is a major burden for garment workers like us."

Gas shortage hits residential areas

The gas crisis has also affected residential areas, disrupting cooking in several parts of the city as gas pressure dropped from yesterday morning.

Shabnam Akter, a resident of Khulshi Garibullah Shah Housing Society, said she was unable to cook at home because there had been no gas since morning.

Gas supply collapse triggers widespread power outages, CNG queues

"Gas pressure was also low yesterday, so cooking took a long time. Today there is no gas at all. So we have been forced to buy food from restaurants," she told TBS.

Supply nearly halved

According to Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited, Chattogram's daily gas demand is around 350 million cubic feet (mmcfd). Amid the shortage, supply has fallen to between 180 and 210 mmcfd, leaving a deficit of around 40-50% against demand.

The company officials said gas supplies had fallen due to supply-related problems at the floating LNG terminal in Maheshkhali and rough weather conditions at sea.

Md Shoaib, director (operations) of Petrobangla, said wind speeds in the Maheshkhali area were around 38 knots. Wind speeds need to remain below 20 knots for LNG carriers to safely berth at the terminal.

Officials concerned said the LNG carrier would be able to berth and gas supplies would increase once weather conditions improve. However, until supplies return to normal, the gas shortage may continue to affect transport, residential life and other sectors across the city.