Gas crunch hits transport operation in Ctg as CNG refuelling stations shut

CHATTOGRAM, Nov 11: Vehicular movement in the port city is facing a setback as the CNG refuelling stations here remain closed during the daytime due to the incessantly acute gas crisis in Chattogram.
Due to the unavailability of gas, thousands of vehicles are forced to run on oil incurring higher costs.
Consequently, public vehicles like CNG-run three-wheelers, buses, mini-trucks etc are hiking their fares much to the suffering of the passengers.
The fare hike coupled with scarcity of vehicles on roads due to the BNP-enforced blockade makes lives of the people more miserable in the city.
According to the city dwellers, the gas crisis that started on October 20 last is yet to end. There will be no respite from the prevailing gas crisis in the port city within a short time, hinted the authorities.
Gas supply at the CNG refuelling Stations has remained stopped during the daytime since the day the crisis ensued.
After 11 pm, some CNG refuelling stations can supply gas for only one or two hours while almost all stations are kept closed during the daytime.
As a result, long queues of vehicles are seen at the CNG refuelling stations in the port city every night.
Mohammed Ali, a CNG three-wheeler driver said, "We cannot take gas as the CNG refuelling stations in Chattogram are closed during the daytime. We tried to take gas in the night. But, many CNG refuelling stations are also closed at night."
Md Shahajan, another CNG three-wheeler driver said, "If we want more fare as we have to run our taxies on oil, passengers get angry with us."
Shahidul Alam, a CNG three-wheeler owner, said the gas crisis is seriously affecting the transport sector in Chattogram.
Nur Mohammed, a bus driver said, "We cannot run our bus during the blockade of political parties. When we tried to run our buses on Saturday and Friday, we were not getting gas."
Shahana Begum, a passenger, alleged that the CNG-run three-wheeler drivers demanded double fare recently.
Shah Alam, a shopkeeper at a kitchen market at Baizid, said, "Prices of vegetables, chicken and other essential commodities have shot up as the cost of transportation has increased in Chattogram due to the gas crisis."
According to locals, gas-crisis in the last 20 days has made the lives of the people of Chattogram miserable.
Maximum areas of the port city have experienced gas crisis from 8am to 4pm every day since October 20.
The hotels and restaurants also could not continue their normal activities during the day.
Meanwhile, the price of gas cylinders has been hiked in Chattogram due to the incessant gas crisis.
Besides, gas crisis has also held back production in the industrial units, including garment factories, at Kalurghat, Baizid Bostami, Sitakunda and Patenga.
More than 1,200 industrial units including heavy engineering ones like steel and re-rolling mills and 400 garment factories are suffering losses worth several thousand crores taka due to the gas crisis.
Officials at Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) preferring anonymity said, "Gas supply is being hammered due to technical faults. As the flow of LNG has decreased, the crisis will continue till December next."
"The Floating System Re-gasification Unit will renovate the system by December next and then gas supply will be normal," he added.

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