Long queues have formed at CNG filling stations across Brahmanbaria as a gas shortage and low supply pressure leave many drivers waiting for hours, often without getting enough gas.
Drivers say the situation has worsened over the past week, as they spend hours waiting for CNG and can make only a few trips a day.
Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Ltd supplies gas to the district’s five CNG filling stations. Together, the stations are allocated 50,000 cubic metres of gas a day, although demand is higher.
Speaking to The Business Standard today (23 July), Md Shafiqul Haque, deputy general manager (engineering) of Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company, said, “Despite the demand from filling stations, we cannot supply more gas at the moment.
“The current crisis has been created due to the LNG shortage. However, there are some pressure-related problems, and work is underway to resolve them,” he added.
According to station operators, stations require a gas pressure of 12 to 15 PSI to operate normally but are currently receiving only 1 to 2 PSI. The low pressure prevents vehicles from taking in enough gas, forcing them to shut down the machines several times a day.
Mohammad Yasin, a CNG auto-rickshaw driver, said he joined the queue at Sopan Filling Station in Sarail at around 11:45am but did not get gas until 3:30pm.
“Because of the low pressure, I could only buy gas worth Tk155,” he said.
Another driver, Akkas Mia, said gas pressure remains low for most of the day, although supplies improve late at night and before dawn.
“We have to queue from the early hours of the morning. Half the day goes by just waiting for gas, and the amount we get is only enough for two trips. This has been going on for about a week,” he said.
Golam Rabbani, an engineer at Sopan Filling Station, told TBS that the shortage had led to long queues as the station was receiving gas at only 0-2 PSI.
“At such low pressure, vehicles cannot take the amount of gas they need,” he said.
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