Urgent solutions needed to alleviate gas crisis

The gas crisis has led to the shutdown of cooking in households and operations in factories in Gazipur City and Kaliakoir Upazila. Due to the gas shortage, production in many factories has decreased by 50%.

According to information published in the media on Wednesday (October 9), there has been a severe gas shortage in Gazipur due to reduced supply. In some places, cooking stoves are not burning, while in others, the flames are flickering. This has caused significant inconvenience for residents in various areas of Gazipur City and Kaliakoir Upazila regarding cooking and food preparation. Additionally, the gas pressure is low in factories as well, leading to decreased production.

In Konabari, Kaliakoir, Kashimpur, and surrounding areas of Gazipur, production in most factories is being disrupted due to the gas crisis. Meanwhile, household consumers are also suffering from the gas shortage. Local residents have reported that for several months, they have not been receiving adequate gas for their stoves. The flames are insufficient for cooking, forcing them to purchase cylinder gas from the market. This not only increases their expenses but also adds to their inconvenience.

Multiple factory owners in Gazipur have stated that a severe gas shortage has been affecting industries in various areas for several months. Due to decreased gas pressure, production has dropped to half. Business owners complain that while the gas pressure should be 15 PSI per cubic foot, in many factories it has fallen to only two or three PSI, and in some cases, it has even reached zero. Without adequate gas pressure, they cannot meet production demands, risking financial losses. Consequently, they are compelled to use diesel generators for their operations, which has further increased production costs.

When asked about the gas crisis, the Deputy General Manager of Titas Gas in Gazipur stated that the daily demand for gas in Gazipur is not being met. The low supply has led to a gas shortage in households and factories. This situation is prevalent not only in Gazipur but also in various cities across the country, including the capital. Even in the suburbs of Dhaka, residents are struggling to receive adequate gas in the mornings.

This gas crisis has been ongoing for a long time, leading to power outages in many areas as well. The pressing question is: what is the solution? The population is increasing, and gas consumption is rising, yet gas supplies are not expanding. With only 2024 upon us, what will the situation be like in the next ten to twenty years? What will happen to the gas-dependent industries that have been established?

Gas users are faced with bad news rather than good. The Bangladesh Oil, Gas, and Mineral Resources Corporation (Petrobangla) has recently stated that the gas crisis will not be resolved anytime soon. The gas sector has been operating under a rationing system, where supply is reduced in one sector to meet the needs of another. The daily gas demand in the country is 3.8 billion cubic feet. Out of this, 3 billion cubic feet is supplied to manage the situation. Currently, only 2.6 billion cubic feet is being supplied.

However, the government's energy advisor, Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan, has mentioned that these issues will be resolved before winter. Necessary measures are being taken to address the situation. We also hope that the government will soon resolve the gas problem and restore normalcy for gas users.