Gas crisis hits capital

Kaniz Fatema, a housewife living in Rajabazar area, has been forced to change her usual cooking habits over the past few days. She now cooks three meals at a time late in the night. “I am not doing this by choice. Throughout the day, there is no pressure in the gas in my oven. The pressure appears in the pipeline after 11pm—and that is when I am forced to cook all the meals,” said a vexed Fatema.
Like Fatema, thousands of residents of Mohammadpur, Tejgaon, Jatrabari, Shewrapara, Kafrul, East Rajabazar, Mirpur, Pallabi, Kazipara, Taltola, Shyamoli, Khilgaon and Malibag are facing the same problem, as a large part of Dhaka city is in the grip of a severe gas crisis—pressure in the pipeline is currently too low to cook meals during the peak hours in the morning.
The Independent has found out that gas supplies to Dhaka through one of the 30-inch main pipelines have been shut down intermittently over the last few days because of the presence of dust and smoke in that line.
Talking to The Independent, Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) managing director Nizam Shariful Islam admitted that they have been forced to shut down the line in the last few days because of dust and smoke in the age-old transmission line.
Petrobangla and GTCL had quickly shut down the transmission line as an emergency measure, as the same line transmits gas to two key point installation (KPI) power plants: the Meghnaghat 450 MW and Haripur 360 MW plants.
“Dust in the gas could seriously impact the power plants. That is why gas supply in that line was shut down, which has hampered gas supplies to some areas in the capital.”
He, however, said the pipeline has been cleared, and gas supply through the line has been restored. “We will clean the pipeline again by next week,” he added. GTCL’s MD, however, conceded that just cleaning of the main pipeline would not stave off the gas crisis, as in many areas, ancient 1.5-inch pipelines are still being used.
“In localities like Mohammadpur and Mirpur, in particular, the problem is acute, as the population has increased manifold there in the past few decades, yet all new gas connections are given to new households through the same old main pipeline. This has led to a fall in the pressure in the pipeline,” he said, adding that had the pipes been broader, many households in Dhaka would not have faced the problem of low pressure.
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Gas crisis hits capital

Kaniz Fatema, a housewife living in Rajabazar area, has been forced to change her usual cooking habits over the past few days. She now cooks three meals at a time late in the night. I am not doing this by choice. Throughout the day, there is no pressure in the gas in my oven. The pressure appears in the pipeline after 11pmand that is when I am forced to cook all the meals, said a vexed Fatema. Like Fatema, thousands of residents of Mohammadpur, Tejgaon, Jatrabari, Shewrapara, Kafrul, East Rajabazar, Mirpur, Pallabi, Kazipara, Taltola, Shyamoli, Khilgaon and Malibag are facing the same problem, as a large part of Dhaka city is in the grip of a severe gas crisispressure in the pipeline is currently too low to cook meals during the peak hours in the morning. The Independent has found out that gas supplies to Dhaka through one of the 30-inch main pipelines have been shut down intermittently over the last few days because of the presence of dust and smoke in that line. Talking to The Independent, Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) managing director Nizam Shariful Islam admitted that they have been forced to shut down the line in the last few days because of dust and smoke in the age-old transmission line. Petrobangla and GTCL had quickly shut down the transmission line as an emergency measure, as the same line transmits gas to two key point installation (KPI) power plants: the Meghnaghat 450 MW and Haripur 360 MW plants. Dust in the gas could seriously impact the power plants. That is why gas supply in that line was shut down, which has hampered gas supplies to some areas in the capital. He, however, said the pipeline has been cleared, and gas supply through the line has been restored. We will clean the pipeline again by next week, he added. GTCLs MD, however, conceded that just cleaning of the main pipeline would not stave off the gas crisis, as in many areas, ancient 1.5-inch pipelines are still being used. In localities like Mohammadpur and Mirpur, in particular, the problem is acute, as the population has increased manifold there in the past few decades, yet all new gas connections are given to new households through the same old main pipeline. This has led to a fall in the pressure in the pipeline, he said, adding that had the pipes been broader, many households in Dhaka would not have faced the problem of low pressure. Related Story on Page 3