The severe gas crisis at CNG filling stations across the capital has yet to ease, with most stations still unable to supply gas.
At the few stations where gas is available, pressure remains extremely low, leading to long queues of vehicles.
Meanwhile, gas supply to households has improved slightly since Sunday morning after remaining unavailable on Friday and Saturday. However, the pressure is too low for residents to cook properly.
The situation was confirmed through conversations with CNG station workers, drivers and residents across the capital.
Private car driver Sanaullah said no gas was available at stations from Malibagh to Kamalapur.
“Authorities cannot say when gas supply will resume. I have been waiting at Malibagh since noon in the hope of getting gas,” he said.
He said he was unable to drive regularly because of the gas shortage. He operates a private car under a Tk30,000 monthly rental contract but has been unable to make enough trips to cover the cost.
At Hajipara pump, an employee named Asad said they could not say when gas would arrive.
“We will resume supply as soon as we receive gas,” he said.
A visit to several areas found CNG stations in Badda, Malibagh and Kamalapur completely closed. Stations in Tejgaon and Mohakhali were also closed, while limited gas was reportedly available in Khilkhet, though the pressure was extremely low.
Private car driver Yunus Ali said he waited for two hours at a Khilkhet station but could only buy about Tk120 worth of gas.
“It is practically air. A vehicle that normally takes Tk1,000-Tk1,200 worth of gas is getting only about Tk120 worth,” he said.
He added that gas was somewhat more readily available at night, but the situation remained critical during the day.
At an Akij pump in the area, a worker named Tarek said the station was currently closed.
“If gas supply improves at night, we can resume operations. We also supplied gas last night,” he said.
Similar conditions were reported in Mirpur and Gabtoli, where CNG stations were also unable to supply gas.
At Khandaker Filling Station on the eastern side of the Uttara-Abdullahpur area, long queues of vehicles had formed as CNG supply remained suspended. Buses and motorcycles arriving at the station were leaving after filling up with diesel or octane.
Station manager Masud Hasan said the queues were growing because a large portion of public transport depends on CNG.
“We are not getting enough gas. Titas is not supplying us properly. Most of our customers’ vehicles run on gas. We have not been receiving gas at the station for about a week, so sales have almost completely stopped,” he said.
A similar situation was observed at RSR Filling Station on the western side of the Uttara-Abdullahpur stretch of the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway.
CNG driver Manik said he had been waiting since 5am for gas.
“I have not been able to get gas yet. How will I pay the daily deposit to the car owner? How will I run my family and pay my children’s school expenses?” he said.
Drivers said their incomes had fallen sharply because of the shortage, making it difficult to pay daily deposits to vehicle owners.
Another CNG driver, Zahid Hossain, said he has to pay Tk1,200 to the vehicle owner every day, in addition to around Tk400 for gas and Tk200-Tk250 in other daily expenses.
“My daily expenses come to around Tk1,500-Tk2,000, but I have had almost no income for the past seven days because of the gas shortage,” he said.
Masud Filling Station manager Md Shakib Hossain said there had been virtually no gas pressure for about a week.
“All the filling stations around us are closed. Even though the pumps can operate using electricity, there is no gas pressure,” he said.
Household gas supply remains weak
Meanwhile, some gas began reaching households on Sunday morning. However, the pressure remained too low for normal cooking.
Banasree resident Kaniz Fatema said the gas pressure was insufficient even to boil water or make tea.
“It takes around 20 minutes just to heat water,” she said.
“We are using an electric stove as an alternative. I also made bread on an electric stove this morning.”
Residents in other parts of the capital reported similar experiences.
Badda resident Anwara Begum said her stove began working Sunday morning after remaining off on Friday and Saturday.
“The stove is lit, but cooking is still not really possible because the pressure is so low,” she said.
Afroza Begum, a resident of Mirpur, said the situation had yet to return to normal.
“I am using an electric stove as an alternative,” she said.
Similar complaints have been reported from Uttara, Mohammadpur, Old Dhaka and Khilgaon, with residents continuing to struggle with inadequate gas pressure.