A severe gas shortage has gripped most areas of Cumilla city for the last two days, with residents facing either very low pressure or no gas at all, disrupting cooking and daily life.
The crisis has forced many households to rely on alternative fuels, increasing their expenses and causing additional hardship. At the same time, restaurants and eateries in the city are experiencing a surge in customers.
Golam Kibria, a resident of Nazrul Avenue, said there had been no gas supply to his home for more than 31 hours.
“We have stopped cooking at home and have had to buy food from restaurants. But many eateries are also struggling to meet the increased demand,” he said.
Banker Abu Solaiman said he bought food from a restaurant the previous day but could not do so on Thursday due to the shortage.
“City life has almost come to a standstill because of the gas crisis,” he said.
Housewife Sumaiya Akter said she managed to cook on an electric stove the previous day, but there was no electricity on Thursday.
“I was forced to make a makeshift stove in the courtyard and cook there. How can people live like this?” she said.
The gas shortage has also increased pressure on restaurants and eateries in the city.
Sohel Rahman, manager of a restaurant, said they were struggling to cope with the surge in customers.
“We are finding it difficult to serve so many customers. From rice and bread to bakery biscuits, we can hardly keep up with demand,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Limited (BGDCL), in an emergency notice, said gas supply has fallen abnormally across the country as LNG supplies from floating storage regasification units have declined due to adverse weather.
As a result, low gas pressure was prevailing in the BGDCL distribution areas, like other parts of the country, it said.
The situation has affected Cumilla, Noakhali, Chandpur, Feni, Lakshmipur and Brahmanbaria districts under the BGDCL distribution network.
The company apologised to customers for the temporary disruption and sought their cooperation in dealing with the situation. It asked customers to contact its hotline at 16513 regarding gas supply and complaints.
Local residents, however, said those responsible for cooking were bearing the brunt of the disruption to gas supply. Many have been forced to use alternative fuels, incurring additional costs and facing further inconvenience.
They demanded an immediate resolution to the crisis.
BGDCL General Manager Engineer Md Solaiman said he could not say when gas supply will return to normal. “There is no good news about gas supply at the moment due to the adverse weather. We cannot say when the situation will return to normal,” he said.