Dhaka city residents face gas crisis with the onset of every winter. The disruption of the key necessity is not only hampering regular activities, like cooking meals, but also enhancing living cost of the residents, as they have to make various alternative arrangements to cope with the problem. In many areas particularly in Old Dhaka, the situation is highly critical. Residents there cannot even light up their gas-fired ovens throughout the day. At the same time, restaurants are also found dropping items from their menu because of the fall in gas pressure.
The gas pressure starts to subside at 8:00am and after 3:00pm the pressure gets back to some extent in many parts of Dhaka city. A number of city dwellers have already started using gas cylinder because of the supply crunch. Many of the sufferers have bought gas cylinders, kerosene stoves and electric rice-cookers. The prices of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinders are not cheap as well. Consumers reportedly have to buy a 22 kg LPG cylinder spending more than Tk 3,000. Those who cannot afford LPG cylinders have to either wait for hours for the gas supply to reach a reasonable level or to use earthen stoves. As the gas supply crisis worsens every year in winter, the authorities concerned should take measures to address the problem.
Badsha Faysal,
Jurain, Dhaka,
badshafaysal1998@gmail.com