Four persons were killed when the compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinder of a microbus exploded at Fatikchari in Chittagong on March 17 last. Such accidents have been recurring over the years primarily in Dhaka and Chittagong where the number of CNG-run vehicles is relatively more than other places of the country. The casualties from CNG cylinder explosion are usually more if the accidents involve passenger buses or CNG filling stations. Faulty cylinders or other CNG-related kits not only endanger the lives of the passengers of the vehicles concerned but also of others somehow remaining close to the accident spots.
But neither the official agencies nor the owners of the gas-run vehicles seem to be concerned about safety and security issues to the extent they should be. A report published in this paper on Monday (March 24) listed three major reasons -- failure to make pressure check of gas cylinders regularly by the vehicle owners, mushrooming of unauthorised conversion workshops and installation of sub-standard CNG cylinders, particularly in passenger vehicles and trucks -- as being responsible for frequent incidents of cylinder blast.
The department of explosives is responsible for enforcement of two sets of comprehensive rules, namely, the Gas Cylinder Rules, 1991 and the CNG Rules, 2005 that aim at containing the number of accidents involving CNG cylinders and filling stations. But there are enough reasons to suspect indifference on the part of the department towards enforcement of these rules. Buses, small passenger vehicles and trucks are seen fitted with sub-standard cylinders that are unlikely to withstand the pressure that a quality CNG cylinder is supposed to do. The CNG filling stations and the CNG conversion workshops are required by law to employ qualified and well-trained personnel to do the jobs. But the rules are flouted in this respect with total impunity.
What is more damaging is the growth of unauthorised conversion centres that do not have qualified technicians. Besides, these outlets often cheat vehicle owners by installing sub-standard cylinders and kits. A section of vehicle owners are also found to be negligent to their own safety and welfare. The rules concerned have made it mandatory for the CNG-run vehicles to get their gas cylinders and conversion kits, including valves, examined after every five years. But not many of them comply with the rules and, thus, endanger their own life and life of others.
Unfortunately, Bangladesh is a country where the propensity to break or ignore laws is very high. Some people indulge in the mischief deliberately and some others do it out of ignorance. However, the lack of seriousness on the part of the men in authority to enforce laws and punish the violators of the same has only been encouraging people to break laws. But unscrupulous officials thrive as the violators of laws grease their palms. The CNG industry is no exception. The ministry of power, energy and mineral resources should look into the matters of safety and security-related issues involving CNG cylinders, conversion workshops and filling stations and help reduce number of accidents.
Safety of CNG-run vehicles
FE Team | Published: March 30, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
Share if you like