The country has been going through serious gas crisis ahead of coming winter. The residential users have been undergoing serious suffering due to acute gas shortage. Because of the non-availability of sufficient gas, the helpless customers are trying to depend on LPG. The owners of mills and factories plunged into serious troubles as the production is hampered greatly.

Besides Dhaka, the production in the industrial areas in Narayanganj, Gazipur, Ashulia and Chattogram was decreased a lot due to gas crisis. The long queen of vehicles is seen in front of CNG stations. According to the authorities concerned, as the gas production from local gas fields has been decreased and supply of gas to the fertilizers factories increased, the gas shortage has turned into a serious crisis. In addition, the reduction in supply of LPG made this crisis more severe.   

Converted Natural Gas Company Limited (RPGCL) imports LNG into the country. However, the company reduced the import of LNG from open market from November due to low electricity demand ahead of winter. Due to the crisis, plans have been made to bring three to four LNG cargoes in the next two months. Meanwhile, one of the country's two LNG terminals is due for maintenance. And if it is closed, the gas crisis will increase. Earlier, US company Accelerate Energy's LNG terminal was supposed to be maintained in April this year, but the maintenance period was postponed due to high demand for gas. The terminal is scheduled to be completely closed for maintenance on November 1, which will remain closed for at least two months. But this time, if the terminal is delayed without maintenance, it may break down and create a more adverse situation, the stakeholders think.

The owners of industries and factories are calling Titas Gas Authority every day complaining of gas shortage. Titas authorities say that there is a demand of 600 million cubic feet of gas around Chandra, Tongi and Joydevpur. But now supply is 35 to 36 crore cubic feet. The Christmas is just around the corner, and on this occasion, clothing factories are now finishing work. The shipment schedule is within a few days. But due to the gas crisis, the work in these factories is being severely disrupted. Using alternative fuels to sustain production alomost doubles the cost. Industrial owners are afraid that if this gas crisis lasts long, the traders of the garment sector will face huge losses.

Among the residential customers of the capital, most of the gas shortages occurred in Mohammadpur, Panthpath, Kathalbagan, Kalabagan, Mirpur, Old Dhaka, Mugda, Badda, Ashkona, Paikpara, Rampura, Jatrabari and Kalyanpur. In various residential areas of the capital, the gas pressure is decreasing around 5 am. Due to the less pressure throughout the day, the stove burns so low that cooking is not possible. Gas is no longer available except at midnight. However, even if there is no gas, the customers have to pay the bill regularly. Due to severe gas shortage, the citizens of the capital are now leaning towards using LPG cylinders. Titas gas authorities say that they have been receiving complaints about low gas pressure in different areas of the capital for a month. Gas has to be rationed for this.

Additionally, long queues of cars can be seen in front of CNG filling stations in the capital. Filling stations are struggling to supply gas according to demand. CNG pumps are not even giving half the gas as per demand. Whereas earlier a car could be filled with gas in 3 to 5 minutes, now it takes 15 to 20 minutes due to lack of pressure.

Narayanganj in distress, industrial production collapse: due to severe gas shortage, the whole of Narayanganj is in distress situation. Consumers are suffering from extreme gas crisis which is similar from industry to homes. There is no gas in the house. Production in industries has decreased by almost 90 percent. Complaints have been raised that the production of about 500 small and big garments and about 600 dyeing factories in Narayanganj has decreased by 90 percent for 12 days due to low gas pressure. Expressing extreme disappointment, the industrial owners said gas flow should be normalized somehow. Otherwise, export earnings will collapse; workers will be dissatisfied if employers fail to pay salaries on time. Various unrest will begin as well.

AH Aslam Sunny, the former first vice president of business organization BKMEA and MD of Crony Group of Industries of Fatulla said, if this continues, we will lose foreign orders. Production is completely stopped.

Daily gas is not available in Chittagong for 6 hours: Daily gas demand in Chittagong is 325 million cubic feet. But now the gas is 280 to 295 million cubic feet. There is a daily shortage of 40 to 50 million cubic feet of gas in Chittagong. This problem has been created since last Saturday. According to the sources concerned, this problem will not be solved soon. The city dwellers will have to live with such a crisis for the next month. Almost every day there is gas shortage from 9 am to 2 pm. As a result, the city dwellers have suffered. Beauty Sultana, a housewife of Askardighi area of the city, said since last Saturday, there is no gas from 8 am to 2 pm without any prior announcement. The first two days we suffered. Now I have to cook it in the morning.

KGDCL General Manager (Operation) Aminur Rahman said that the daily gas demand in Chittagong is 325 million cubic feet. Of this, 280 to 300 million cubic feet were available from Maheshkhali. The rest was supplied by a company. Currently the company has stopped the supply. He said fertilizers will be needed in the dry season ahead. Therefore gas supply has to be kept uninterrupted for fertilizer production. Moreover, gas supply to commercial establishments has to be kept intact during the day.

(The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque. *Chittagong Senior Reporter Reza Muzammel and Narayanganj Representative Roman Chowdhury Sumon assisted in making the report).