Gas supply in Chattogram came to an abrupt halt on Friday morning without prior notice from Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL), causing distress among consumers across the port city. The sudden disruption left residents unprepared, forcing them to cope with the situation by resorting to alternative cooking methods and facing difficulties accessing essential services.
Restaurants, unable to serve customers due to the gas supply disruption, witnessed a surge in demand for alternative sources of food. Residents were spotted resorting to cooking with wood or using electric fireplaces to prepare meals. The suspension of gas supply also led to the shutdown of gas filling stations, resulting in a decrease in the movement of CNG-run auto-rickshaws throughout the port city.
Confirming the gas supply halt, KGDCL General Manager Aminur Rahman explained that the imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplied to Chattogram was converted at two floating terminals in Moheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar. However, one of these terminals, owned by US company Excelerate Energy, has been closed since November 1, 2023. Although scheduled to resume operations on Thursday, the terminal remained non-operational.
Additionally, low back pressure disrupted gas supply from another terminal owned by Summit LNG. Consequently, gas supply in Chattogram remains suspended. Aminur Rahman stated that gas supply is unlikely to resume on Friday as Summit LNG’s terminal is undergoing maintenance, and the timeline for the situation to return to normal remains uncertain.
The gas crisis has caused significant hardships for residents in the port city, with reports of individuals unable to prepare meals at home or find food in nearby restaurants. The situation has prompted frustration and anger among consumers, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by the city’s residents.
Sources indicate that Chattogram has 601,914 KGDCL subscribers with a demand for 325 million cubic feet of gas. While 597,561 connections are household-based, the remaining connections serve the industry and other sectors. The regular daily gas supply to Chattogram, averaging 280-300 million cubic feet, has dropped to around 100 million cubic feet since November 1, 2023.
KGDCL officials suggest that resolving the crisis requires the simultaneous operation of both terminals, owned by the US company and Summit, which together supplied 850 million cubic feet of gas to the national grid. However, the current maintenance situation hinders the normalization of gas supply in Chattogram.
