Gas crisis everywhere, from kitchen stoves to stations
Gas cylinders priced at Tk 1,306, almost sold at nearly double the price.
Many gas stations are on the verge of closure due to reduced LPG supply.
Gas supply in Dhaka has been disrupted following a pipeline accident at Titas.
For more than two weeks, the market has been facing a shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Prices have risen to nearly double, yet LPG cylinders remain unavailable.
Following two separate accidents, the supply of natural gas in Dhaka has been disrupted for a week. People are struggling to light their cooking stoves.
As supply falls short of demand, the crisis has now affected everything from household stoves to CNG stations.
Amid the ongoing LPG crisis, the Bangladesh LPG auto gas station and conversion workshop owners association held a press conference yesterday, Saturday, at the Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium.
At the press conference, it was stated that the average monthly demand for LPG is around 140,000 tonnes, of which 15,000 tonnes are required for the transport sector.
Since last month, the supply has been significantly lower than demand, placing many gas stations on the brink of closure.
In a written statement titled “Negative impact of the LPG crisis on the transport sector”, the association said that the ongoing LPG shortage is having a severe adverse impact on the country’s transport system, consumer interests, energy security and the daily lives of ordinary people.
Due to the crisis, almost all LPG auto gas stations across the country have effectively shut down. This has directly affected more than 150,000 LPG-run vehicles.
Vehicle owners and drivers are facing extreme hardship due to the lack of fuel. In many cases, they are roaming from one station to another for hours without being able to obtain gas.
The written statement was read out by the organisation’s president, Md Serajul Mawla, in the presence of the general secretary, Md Hasin Parvez.
The organisation stated that only 10 per cent of LPG is used as auto gas in the transport sector, yet even this limited requirement is not being fully supplied.
They have been requesting the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) to ensure monthly supply. Under the current circumstances, owners of LPG auto gas stations are facing severe business losses.
With stations remaining closed for extended periods, it has become nearly impossible for them to pay staff salaries, bank loan instalments and routine operational expenses.
They urged the authorities to take urgent measures to normalise and ensure adequate LPG imports in order to resolve the crisis.
Around 80 per cent of LPG is used for cooking purposes, with the 12 kilogram cylinder being the most commonly sold. Its fixed price is Tk 1,306.
Currently, it is being sold in the market for as much as Tk 2,500. Even at this price, consumers are unable to obtain cylinders.
Around 80 per cent of LPG is used for cooking purposes, with the 12 kilogram cylinder being the most commonly sold. Its fixed price is Tk 1,306. Currently, it is being sold in the market for as much as Tk 2,500
The government has already accepted traders demands to increase imports and businesses have taken steps in this regard.
However, traders have indicated that it may take another two weeks for supply to return to normal.
Kamrunnessa Ruhi, a resident of Mohammadpur, told Prothom Alo that gas pressure is often very low, forcing her to use an LPG stove as an alternative.
Now, there is no gas in the pipeline and LPG cylinders are also unavailable. She had to bring food from a hotel one day and yesterday, Saturday she was compelled to purchase an electric stove.
On 4 January, a pipeline leak in Aminbazar resulted in Dhaka residents receiving gas at low pressure for a week. In the meantime, yesterday, Saturday a valve burst in a pipeline in front of Ganabhaban on Mirpur Road, further aggravating public suffering.
Several nearby valves were shut down for repair work. Valves regulate gas flow through pipelines and allow it to be increased or reduced as necessary. They are installed at specific points along distribution lines.
Gas pressure is often very low, forcing her to use an LPG stove as an alternative. Now, there is no gas in the pipeline and LPG cylinders are also unavailable. She had to bring food from a hotel one day and yesterday, Saturday she was compelled to purchase an electric stove.Kamrunnessa Ruhi, a resident of Mohammadpur
By Saturday afternoon, the damaged valve had been replaced with a new one, after which Titas gas transmission and distribution PLC resumed gas supply to the affected area.
In a press release, Titas stated that gas pressure would gradually increase. Throughout the day, residents of Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Shyamoli, New Market, Hazaribagh, Gabtoli and surrounding areas suffered severe inconvenience due to critically low gas pressure.
According to Titas sources, gas pressure decreases during winter due to lower temperatures and supply has also been disrupted by recent accidents.
Although the pipeline leak in Aminbazar has been repaired, water that entered the pipeline has not yet been fully removed. While increasing gas flow to expel the water, a valve burst.
It may take several more days to fully remove the water. Additionally, although residential gas supply is being provided as per demand, the rise in illegal connections has deprived legitimate customers of adequate supply.
Residents of Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Shyamoli, New Market, Hazaribagh, Gabtoli and surrounding areas suffered severe inconvenience due to critically low gas pressure
As priority is given to the industrial sector, gas supply to CNG stations serving the transport sector has been reduced. The transport sector consumes only 5 per cent of total gas usage.
Farhan Noor, secretary general of the Bangladesh CNG filling station and conversion workshop owners association, told Prothom Alo yesterday, Saturday that CNG stations have not been receiving gas according to demand for a long time and supply has decreased further in recent days.
Due to low pressure, refuelling a vehicle now takes half an hour instead of five minutes, increasing operational costs for stations.