Thousands of people blockaded the Dhaka-Sylhet highway and vandalised at least 15 vehicles near the Chaitabo area in Narsingdi sadar upazila on Wednesday, after authorities disconnected their illegal gas lines.
According to police and witnesses, the Narsingdi regional office of Titas Gas, with the help of Executive Magistrate Mahbubur Rahman, carried out a drive to disconnect illegal gas lines in the Chaitabo and Kabirajpura areas at around 10:30am.
Hearing about the main gas line being disconnected, thousands of local villagers came out on the streets with locally made weapons and chased away the officials.
The agitated locals also vandalised 15 vehicles and blockaded the Dhaka-Sylhet highway by burning tires and wood on the road.
Bus communication between Dhaka and Sylhet, Maulvibazar, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj, Bhairab, Monohardi and Narsingdi remained suspended for about three hours due to the demonstrations.
Locals withdrew their road-blockade after Deputy Commissioner Obaidul Azam, along with Rab and police officials, gave assurances that gas supply would soon resume in the area.
On November 4, authorities concerned held a meeting to discuss the necessary steps for tackling the illegal gas line business.
Speaking at the meeting, Titas Gas Deputy General Manager Sheikh Abu Raihan said 16 illegal gas supply lines, stretching a total 26,600 feet, had been identified in the area, adding that the illegal lines were connected to different households, mills and factories that had been active in for a long time.
Local residents accused dishonest billing supervisors, billing readers, accounts officers, linemen and contractors of being involved in the supply of illegal gas lines. The linemen, billing readers and supervisors allegedly visited the illegal gas users at the beginning of each month to collect huge sums of money.
