A severe gas crisis returned to CNG filling stations across Dhaka on Saturday, a day after supply pressure briefly improved, plunging CNG-run vehicle drivers back into hardship as they endured long waits for only a small amount of fuel.
Drivers were seen spending hours in long queues outside filling stations, with many receiving only Tk40-Tk50 worth of gas after prolonged waits.
Sector insiders said CNG-powered vehicles were receiving no more than Tk40-Tk50 worth of gas on Saturday, while private cars were being supplied a maximum of Tk120 worth. On Friday, however, CNG auto-rickshaw drivers received gas worth up to Tk150, while private car drivers were able to buy Tk300-Tk350 worth.
Under normal conditions, CNG-powered auto-rickshaws can take gas worth up to Tk600, depending on cylinder size. Private cars with 60-litre cylinders can take around Tk600 worth of gas, while those with 90-litre cylinders can take up to Tk1,000 worth.
The situation has been compounded by frequent power outages. With gas pressure already low, supply at filling stations is suspended whenever electricity goes out. Drivers said power cuts occur several times a day and often last more than an hour. Even after electricity is restored, it takes another 30 minutes for the machines to restart and gas pressure to return to normal.
Visits to several areas of the capital and conversations with affected drivers revealed widespread suffering.
Long queues were seen at CNG filling stations in Gabtoli, Kallyanpur, Kalshi, Kazipara and Shewrapara, where private cars, microbuses and auto-rickshaws were forced to wait for hours because of the low gas supply.
Khalil, a private car driver waiting at Mohona Filling Station in Gabtoli, said the crisis had worsened.
“Although a small amount of gas is available late at night, there is virtually none during the day. I waited in line for about an hour and a half and received only enough gas to make two trips. Now I am standing in line again. No one seems to care about our suffering,” he said.
A similar situation was reported in Demra, where transport drivers had to wait for more than two hours to get gas. Long queues were seen outside filling stations across the area.
Drivers said their livelihoods were being affected as they could not make enough trips or take long-distance passengers. Filling station owners are also incurring losses because of reduced gas sales.
Md Bashir Hawladar, a rent-a-car driver waiting at Russell Filling and CNG Station, said inadequate gas supply was causing him daily losses.
“We cannot take long-distance passengers, and we cannot leave passengers in the car while waiting for gas because the queue takes two to three hours. If this continues, our families will struggle to survive,” he said.
The gas crisis was particularly severe in Mugda, Maniknagar, Sabujbagh, Khilgaon, Banasree and Hajipara, where gas pressure was among the lowest. Several filling stations were seen displaying signs reading “No Gas”.
Kabir Hossain, a driver waiting at Shanto Filling Station, said he had joined the queue at 9am but had still not received his turn by 2pm.
“The gas crisis is getting worse every day. Even when we cannot get gas, we still have to pay Tk1,200 to the owner every day. I do not know how we will survive in such a situation,” he said.
The gas crisis was particularly severe in Uttara on Saturday, where supply remained suspended at most CNG filling stations due to low gas pressure.
The few stations that remained operational saw long queues of vehicles, with drivers waiting for hours for a limited supply of gas.
Kamal Ahmed, manager of Khandakar Filling Station, said a large section of the transport sector depended on CNG, and the low pressure was forcing vehicles to queue for extended periods.
“A significant number of vehicles depend on gas. With pressure remaining low, long queues are inevitable. There is little we can do to resolve the situation,” he said.
Jasim, a CNG driver, said he had been waiting in line since the previous night but had yet to receive any gas.
“How will I support my family if this continues? How will I pay my children’s school fees? I can no longer bear this pressure,” he said.
The crisis has also extended beyond CNG filling stations, with households across several parts of Dhaka facing an acute shortage of gas.
Cooking stoves in many homes have remained unlit for hours, forcing families to rely on LPG cylinders and electric cookers. Others have turned to restaurants and roadside eateries for meals.
The prolonged shortage is also putting pressure on industrial production and business activities in different parts of the country.
Jahanara Begum, a resident of Sector 6 in Uttara, said families could prepare meals for the entire day when gas was available in the early morning.
“But there has been virtually no gas for the past three days. We have been forced to buy food from restaurants,” she said.
Champa Khatun, a homemaker in Banasree, said her household had received no gas since morning, forcing her to cook on an electric stove.
“Electricity has now become our only option. But when the power goes out, cooking stops as well. We are facing immense hardship,” she said.
Afroza Begum, a homemaker in Demra, said the gas shortage had persisted in her area for a long time.
“We have been cooking on electric stoves, but when the power goes out, that stops too. Many households in our area have no gas supply,” she said.
Shaila, a homemaker in Badda, said her family was struggling with disruptions to both gas and electricity supplies.
“We are living through a very difficult situation,” she said.
Enquiries found that thousands of households across the capital are now relying on alternative cooking methods because of the gas shortage, while the prices of induction cookers and rice cookers have also risen amid growing demand.
