People suffer as gas crunch continues in Dhaka, Ctg

People in various regions across the country continued to grapple with a severe gas crisis that started on Friday when the authorities shut down two floating LNG terminals in Maheshkhali ahead of Cyclone Mocha.

In Chattogram, although the gas supply to Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited claimed that they started supplying 150mmcf of gas per day since Sunday night, residents said they were still not getting gas.

"Chattogram has been completely dependent on LNG since 2018. We do not get any gas from national transmission lines. After supplying gas to Chattogram, the remaining gas is sent to Cumilla and Dhaka. Therefore, Chattogram is suffering the most due to the shutdown of the LNG supply.

"We have started supplying gas, but it is still at zero pressure. It will take 10 to 12 hours to be fully operational," Md Rafiqul Islam told The Business Standard Monday afternoon.

People in the port city were seen running to the eateries in search of food where cooking is done using cylinder gas. Taking advantage of the crisis, the price of LPG cylinders has been increased by Tk350.

BSRM Group Deputy Managing Director Tapan Sen Gupta told TBS, "I just left home, there is no gas. There is no gas in the factory, where is the gas going to? Due to lack of gas, our production has completely stopped."

Najma Begum, a housewife in the city's Oxygen area, said "Gas has been coming in sparsely since last night, which isn't enough. So I am forced to buy a kerosene stove and use it."

KGDCL's total customer connections are 6,01,914. Among them, 5,97,561 are household connections, the rest are in other sectors including industry and trade. 

The daily demand for gas in these sectors is about 325mmcf. But 270-300mmcf are available from the Maheshkhali LNG terminal during normal times.

The city's gas-powered public transport and private vehicles remained closed. 

Around 9:30am on Monday morning, thousands of passengers were seen in Bahdarhat area of the city waiting for public transports. 

Diesel-powered tempos were plying, but they were charging double the fare. 

Meanwhile, load shedding has increased due to the gas supply crisis.

The country experienced 2,800MW load shedding on Sunday, which was expected to drop to 2,000MW yesterday. 

Chattogram Power Development Board (PDB) officials said the city has a daily demand of 1,100 megawatts of electricity but 800MW is available. Roujan and Shikalbaha power generation plants are dependent on gas. As much as 320MW of electricity cannot be generated from these centres due to the suspension of the gas supply.

In Dhaka, CNG drivers and filling station owners in the capital found themselves in quite an undesirable situation due to the ongoing gas crisis.

Sayed Ahamed, a cashier at Satata Fueling Station in Tejgaon area, revealed that they are receiving only 5-6 PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) of gas pressure against the demand for 15 PSI. 

Gas-dependent industries are suffering due to the supply disruption.

Md Azhar Khan, chairman of Mithela Textile Industries Limited in Narayanganj, told TBS that gas pressure was low for two days and now it is at zero with an increase in load-shedding. 

Abdullah Al Mamun, director of Narsingdi's Abed Textile Processing Mills, told TBS that his factory is currently running at only 20% capacity due to gas crunch. 

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid on Sunday said the ongoing load-shedding situation will improve in the next two days and gas supply is likely to be normal in two weeks.