CNG drivers in Dhaka are spending entire nights in queues to collect small amounts of gas, disrupting their earnings and daily lives as the capital grapples with an acute gas shortage.
Many drivers are waiting six to 10 hours at filling stations, only to get enough gas for a few trips before returning to the queue. At some stations, lines stretching up to two kilometres have formed, while low pressure is forcing several stations to shut during the day.
The crisis has also reached households, with residents in several parts of the capital turning to electric stoves and firewood as piped gas supplies remain largely unavailable.
Drivers spend nights in queues
At around 5:30am on Saturday, a long queue of CNG-run vehicles and private cars was seen at a filling station in Hazipara.
Some drivers had joined the queue around 8pm the previous night, while others who arrived around 3am were still waiting.
The queue on one side stretched nearly two kilometres, passing Bangladesh Television (BTV) and reaching Rampura Bridge. On the other side, it extended about 1.5km towards Khilgaon Flyover from Malibagh intersection.
Sohel Rana, waiting to refuel his private car, said he had never seen such a long gas queue.
“I came around 4am thinking the queue would be shorter, but it had already reached BTV. On the other side, it had reached Khilgaon Flyover,” he said.
“I joined the queue towards BTV but could not even cross Rampura Bazar. If the supply stops in the meantime, it will be a disaster.”
Driver Sumon said he arrived at 4am and was still waiting at 6:30am.
“I will need at least another two and a half hours to get gas. Even then, I doubt whether I will get gas worth Tk200,” he said.
Ripon Mia, who waited nearly six hours, said he received gas worth only Tk179.
“You tell me how long I can run with that amount of gas. All our options are closed,” he said.
CNG driver Rahim Shikdar said he joined the queue after midnight and got gas worth Tk80.
“I am waiting to join the queue again in case I can get some more gas,” he said.
Yusuf, a sales employee at the station, said low pressure was limiting supply.
“With the pressure we have, we cannot provide more than this. It may even stop by around 9am,” he said.
Fewer trips, lower income
Long queues have also formed at Jaman Filling Station in Merul Badda, Akij in Tejgaon and stations in Mohakhali, Uttara, Mirpur, Gabtoli and Kamalapur.
Many shut between 8am and 10am. Sales representatives at Akij and Jaman said gas was often unavailable during the day and pressure remained extremely low.
Drivers said they previously could buy Tk200-Tk300 worth of gas at a time, and up to Tk500 when pressure was good. Now, their work routines and incomes have been severely disrupted.
CNG driver Abu Bakar said he often spends most of the night waiting.
“If I join the queue around 10pm, I get gas around 1:30am or 2am. Sometimes it takes longer. But I get only Tk70, Tk80 or Tk100 worth,” he said.
“After a few trips, I return to the queue and get another Tk50-Tk60 worth. By then it is dawn.”
He said the gas runs out after two or three trips by 10am.
“At most, I can earn Tk1,000 from three trips. Then I queue again. By the time I get gas, it is 3pm. Again, I make two or three trips,” he said.
“If I earn Tk2,000 and pay Tk1,200 as the deposit, how much is left? Then there are gas and food expenses. When will I go home? How will I support my family?”
Abdullah, another CNG driver, said the shortage had continued for more than a month and had recently worsened.
“We now have to spend the night on the road to get gas,” he said.
Households struggle to cook
Residents said gas had occasionally flickered on and off earlier but had been completely unavailable since Thursday.
Asma Khanom of Banasree said her family was using an electric stove.
“We have been facing this problem for more than a month. Now it has reached a point where there is simply no gas,” she said.
Selina Akter of Rampura said: “If the gas does not burn, what will I cook? We cannot cook without an electric stove.”
In Badda, Arifa Akter said her family was using firewood.
“Poor people like us cannot afford electric stoves. So we have to cook this way,” she said.
Gas shortages have also been reported in Uttara, Mirpur, Agargaon, Rampura, Malibagh, Moghbazar and Old Dhaka.
FSRU problems worsen crisis
Technical problems at floating LNG terminals, or FSRUs (Floating Storage and Regasification Units), in Maheshkhali, along with adverse weather, are among the major reasons for the shortage.
Bangladesh depends on two FSRUs for LNG supplies. Supply declined after a technical fault developed at one terminal.
Since Thursday afternoon, the other terminal has also been unable to supply LNG normally due to adverse weather, further worsening the gas crisis across Dhaka.