Gas crisis halts Ctg city

Residents of Chittagong city have been suffering from a severe gas crisis for three days. Households have been hit hard and people in most affected areas have been relying on store-bought food and restaurants, and alternative methods of cooking.

Many areas received no gas since Saturday evening, and other areas are getting gas at a very low pressure.

Bakalia, Chawk Bazar, Jamal Khan, Agrabad, Bow Bazar, Badurtola, Kapasgola, Askar Dighir Par, Katalganj, Panchlaish, Bahaddarhat, Chandgaon and Halishahar are some of the areas hit hard.

Fatema Begum, a resident of Bakalia, said she was forced to buy lunch and dinner from a restaurant on Sunday.

"At first we thought the gas pipeline in the area was being repaired, but in such cases, the Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited authorities inform the public through loudspeakers," she said, adding, "I asked my neighbours and relatives but nobody knew what was happening."

A resident of Askar Dighir Par, Rita Sarker, said there was no gas connection from Sunday.

Mahbub Chowdhury, vice president of Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said gas-based industries in Chittagong remained shut due to little to no supply.

Steel re-rolling, readymade garment and dyeing factories bear the brunt of the gas crisis, he added.

Contacted, Khondokar Motiur Rahman, general manager (engineering) of KGDCL, said they have not been able to supply gas to clients as they have not been getting adequate gas from the national grid since Saturday night.           

"The demand for gas in Chittagong is over 400 million standard cubic feet (MMscf) per day," he said.

"On Sunday we got 227 MMscf while today [Monday] we only got 181 MMscf gas," he added.

"Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation officials told us that Bibiana Gas Field suddenly began supplying less gas than usual," Motiur Rahman said.

The gas field is supplying 550 MMscf less gas. The KGDCL official could not confirm when the situation will become normal.

Meanwhile, severe load shedding is adding to the woes of residents, as Raozan Thermal Power Plant and Shikalbaha 150MW Power Plant have remained inoperative due to lack of gas.