Gas crisis worsens in capital

Situation to improve after a week, says Titas MD

Naznin Shanta, a housewife living in Dhaka’s Dakshin Khan, has bizarre cooking hours these days. She cooks three meals in the middle of the night, and stores them all in the fridge. Not that she has a choice. “Throughout the day, there is no gas pressure in my oven. The pressure in the pipeline comes after midnight or even later. So that is when I cook all the meals,” she grumbled.

Shanta is not alone. Thousands of residents of Mohammadpur, Jatrabari, Shewrapara, Kafrul, Mirpur, Pallabi, Kazipara, Taltola, Shyamoli, Mugda, Uttar Khan, and Dakshin Khan are facing the same problem. Large parts of Dhaka city are facing a severe gas crisis. The pressure in the pipeline is too low to cook meals during the usual hours of the morning.
“For a few months now, I have been having lunch at hotels because meals cannot be cooked at home due to lack of gas supply,” complained Abu Sufian, a college teacher. “Not everyone can afford a fridge to store the next meal. Besides, hotel food is often unhygienic,” he pointed out. “I am thinking of using gas cylinders now,” he added. Many like him are thinking of using gas cylinders. But in that case, the cost would be doubled. They will have to make the monthly payment for gas supply as well as for the gas cylinders.
Many residents complained that many parts of the city are enjoying full gas pressure in the pipeline though they are all paying the same amount. In fact, the price of gas has gone up from Tk. 400 for double burners to Tk. 650. In such circumstances, the crisis is uncalled for.
The natural gas crisis in Dhaka has apparently happened due to several issues involving gas supply, pipeline maintenance, and connections. The managing director of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, Mir Moshiur Rahman, admitted the crisis. “The Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) does not supply enough gas for us to meet the demand of city dwellers. 
Titas is getting only 1,500 million cubic feet (mmcf) of gas against the daily demand of about 2,000 mmcf,” he said. “Besides, there is a leakage in the gas transmission line under a river in Tangail. We are trying to repair it. Hopefully, we will repair it in within seven days. After that, gas supplies would improve,” he added.
“But due to the shortage of gas, the problems will remain. Besides, in winter, the demand for gas increases. This might worsen the situation,” he warned. Regarding the differences in gas supplies to different areas, he explained that the areas that have gas pipelines starting near the source lines have good pressure. The distant areas have worse pressure.

Gas crisis worsens in capital

Situation to improve after a week, says Titas MD

Naznin Shanta, a housewife living in Dhakas Dakshin Khan, has bizarre cooking hours these days. She cooks three meals in the middle of the night, and stores them all in the fridge. Not that she has a choice. Throughout the day, there is no gas pressure in my oven. The pressure in the pipeline comes after midnight or even later. So that is when I cook all the meals, she grumbled. Shanta is not alone. Thousands of residents of Mohammadpur, Jatrabari, Shewrapara, Kafrul, Mirpur, Pallabi, Kazipara, Taltola, Shyamoli, Mugda, Uttar Khan, and Dakshin Khan are facing the same problem. Large parts of Dhaka city are facing a severe gas crisis. The pressure in the pipeline is too low to cook meals during the usual hours of the morning. For a few months now, I have been having lunch at hotels because meals cannot be cooked at home due to lack of gas supply, complained Abu Sufian, a college teacher. Not everyone can afford a fridge to store the next meal. Besides, hotel food is often unhygienic, he pointed out. I am thinking of using gas cylinders now, he added. Many like him are thinking of using gas cylinders. But in that case, the cost would be doubled. They will have to make the monthly payment for gas supply as well as for the gas cylinders. Many residents complained that many parts of the city are enjoying full gas pressure in the pipeline though they are all paying the same amount. In fact, the price of gas has gone up from Tk. 400 for double burners to Tk. 650. In such circumstances, the crisis is uncalled for. The natural gas crisis in Dhaka has apparently happened due to several issues involving gas supply, pipeline maintenance, and connections. The managing director of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, Mir Moshiur Rahman, admitted the crisis. The Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) does not supply enough gas for us to meet the demand of city dwellers. Titas is getting only 1,500 million cubic feet (mmcf) of gas against the daily demand of about 2,000 mmcf, he said. Besides, there is a leakage in the gas transmission line under a river in Tangail. We are trying to repair it. Hopefully, we will repair it in within seven days. After that, gas supplies would improve, he added. But due to the shortage of gas, the problems will remain. Besides, in winter, the demand for gas increases. This might worsen the situation, he warned. Regarding the differences in gas supplies to different areas, he explained that the areas that have gas pipelines starting near the source lines have good pressure. The distant areas have worse pressure.