Gas emerging from a submersible pump in Gopalganj’s Kotalipara upazila has caught fire when exposed to a lighter, prompting locals to call for an expert investigation.
The incident occurred at Bhashai Bazar in Bandhabari union, where hardware trader Kamrul Sheikh installed the pump about a year ago to supply water to fish transport vehicles.
Kamrul said the pump had been producing less water over the past week. Out of curiosity, he held a gas lighter near the pipe’s opening on Wednesday night, and flames erupted.
News of the incident quickly spread, drawing crowds to his shop on Thursday. At the request of curious onlookers, Kamrul repeatedly demonstrated how the gas caught fire when a lighter was brought near the pipe.
The residents urged the authorities to send a team of experts to determine whether natural gas was present underground.
Kamrul, son of Rob Sheikh, said he had installed the pump at a depth of 280 feet to supply water to fish transport vehicles.
Local youth Shihab Sheikh said he visited the site on Thursday morning after hearing about the incident the previous night.
“We witnessed the phenomenon ourselves. We want a team of experts to examine the site and determine whether there is really gas underground. If gas is found here, it could benefit the country,” he said.
Kotalipara Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Saif-ul-Arefin said he had sent local land officials to the site after learning about the incident.
“Based on their initial report, I have received confirmation of the incident. I will visit the site on Friday and decide on the next steps,” he said.