The gas crisis in Dhaka has shown no sign of easing, with severe shortages disrupting both transportation and household activities across the capital since Saturday morning.
CNG stations are struggling with low gas pressure, forcing drivers of CNG-run vehicles to spend hours in queues. Even after waiting for several hours, many receive enough gas for only one or two trips.
The crisis has also hit households, with gas stoves remaining unusable for hours in many areas. Families are being forced to rely on LPG cylinders, electric stoves and restaurant food for cooking.
The situation has created widespread hardship in Dhaka and other parts of the country, with industrial production and businesses also facing disruptions.
A visit to several areas of the capital and conversations with affected people revealed the extent of the crisis.
Mirpur
Long queues of vehicles were seen at CNG stations in Gabtoli, Kallyanpur, Kalshi, Kazipara and Shewrapara.
Private cars, microbuses and auto-rickshaws were forced to wait for extended periods because of reduced gas supplies.
Khalil, a private car driver waiting at Mohona Filling Station in Gabtoli, said the gas crisis had worsened.
“Gas may be available in small quantities late at night, but there is hardly any during the day,” he said.
After waiting in line for around one and a half hours, he received enough gas for only two trips.
“Now I am standing in line again. There is no one to see our suffering,” he said.
Demra
The situation was similar in Demra, where transport workers were waiting more than four hours at some CNG filling stations for gas.
Long queues of vehicles stretched in front of stations, while drivers said they were struggling to earn enough because they could not make enough trips.
Filling station owners were also reporting losses as gas sales declined.
Md Bashir Howlader, a rent-a-car driver at Russell Filling and CNG Station, said he was losing money every day because of the shortage.
“I cannot take long-distance passengers. We cannot leave passengers in the vehicle and go for gas anymore because we have to stay in line for three to five hours,” he said.
“If this continues, our families will have to go hungry.”
Sabujbagh
The gas shortage was particularly severe in Mugda, Maniknagar, Sabujbagh, Khilgaon, Banasree and Hajipara, where gas pressure was reportedly extremely low.
Several filling stations were seen displaying signs saying gas was unavailable.
Kabi Hossain, a driver waiting at Shanto Filling Station, said he had been in the queue since 9am but had still not received gas by 2pm.
“The crisis is becoming more severe every day. Even if I do not get gas, I have to pay the owner Tk1,200 every day. I do not know what to do in this situation,” he said.
Uttara
The gas crisis was also severe in Uttara, where supplies had stopped at many CNG filling stations.
Stations that remained operational were seeing long queues because of low pressure.
Kamal Ahmed, manager of Khandakar Filling Station, said a large portion of the transport sector depended on gas.
“Because of the low pressure, long queues of vehicles are forming. There is nothing we can do to solve the problem,” he said.
CNG driver Jasim said he had been waiting since the previous night but had still not received gas.
“If this continues, how will I run my family? How will I pay my children’s school fees? I cannot take this much mental pressure anymore,” he said.
Household stoves also affected
The gas crisis has also severely disrupted household activities in different parts of Dhaka.
In many areas, gas stoves remain unusable for hours, forcing families to cook with LPG cylinders or electric stoves. Some households have also turned to restaurants for their daily meals.
The crisis is meanwhile threatening industrial production and disrupting business activities across the country.
Jahanara Begum, a resident of Sector 6 in Uttara, said gas was usually available early in the morning, allowing families to prepare food for the entire day.
“But for the past three days, there has been almost no gas. We have been forced to buy food from restaurants,” she said.
Schoolteacher Amena Begum said cooking for children at her school’s daycare had also stopped because of the shortage.
“We have to buy food from restaurants and provide it to the children. LPG is also not easily available. The prices of induction stoves and rice cookers have also gone up,” she said.