Households in distress as gas crisis persists during Ramadan

Housewives in many areas of the capital are in trouble due to insufficient gas supply to households even during the month of Ramadan. Cooking is hampered especially before Iftar and Sehri due to low gas pressure.

Titas Gas authorities claim that the gas crisis is ongoing due to various reasons. And the victims are demanding effective steps from the government along with the distribution companies to deal with the crisis.

Housewives in various areas of Old Dhaka including Moghbazar, Rampura, Basabo, Tejgaon, Mohammadpur, Farmgate, Karwanbazar, Sutrapur complain that the gas pressure decreases before noon. The crisis intensifies before the afternoon. Cooking takes more than double the time due to slow stoves. In some areas, there is no gas at all.

Severe gas crisis has been experienced throughout the last month and the winter. However, despite the promise of uninterrupted supply during the month of Ramadan, different areas have witnessed different pictures.

Most housewives say that although the intensity of the gas crisis has eased somewhat compared to the winter, there is no gas during the preparation of Sehri and Iftar from the beginning of Ramadan. The pressure is very low. They are suffering immensely because they are not able to prepare Iftar and Sehri on time.

Firoza Begum of Tejgaon West Tezkunipara said: "After fasting all day and preparing Iftar afternoon, I found that there is no gas. Even so, the pressure is so low that it takes hours to cook. Sometimes, when we are not able to finish it on time, we have to buy unhealthy Iftar from outside. The situation is the same during Sehri."

Khadija Begum of the same area said: "We get poor supply in the morning. Then, as the afternoon approaches, the pressure of the gas decreases. From then on, when it is time to cook, the gas goes away."

Liza Akhter, from the area adjacent to Panthapath Bashundhara City, complained: "I pay the bill every month, but I don't get gas. It is very important to get gas on time during the month of Ramadan. There were crises during the winter. This time, even during the month of Ramadan, after the end of winter, I am not able to finish cooking for Iftar and Sehri on time."

A private employee, Khuki Akhter, said: "We have a tight schedule due to our job. Gas comes in the morning when I am on duty. There is no opportunity to cook in advance. When I come home in the afternoon before Iftar and start cooking, I don't get gas. I am forced to bring food from outside."

Shahnewaz Parvez, managing director of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution PLC, told Views Bangladesh: "Gas crisis is not a recent issue, it has been a problem for a long time, especially for residents. Petrobangla supplies gas to industry, commerce, CNG, electricity, and factories, including residential areas. When it is supplied everywhere, the pressure on residential areas is reduced."

He said: "We have also received complaints that there is no gas in the morning, and it comes at night. However, supply cannot be ensured due to old lines in some areas. Since March, gas for the residential sector has to be supplied to electricity plants. Gas is not available even according to Titas' demand. There is a demand of 2,200 million cubic feet per day, while Petrobangla is providing 1,600 million cubic feet which in turn has to be supplied to various sectors. There is a shortage of 600 million cubic feet."

He also believes that there is no alternative to increasing supply to overcome the gas crisis in the residential sector.