As part of a move to protect growing forests around the Island and reduce the refuges’ reliance on firewood, Qatar Charity (QC) has recently supplied cooking gas cylinders to Rohingya refugees on Bhasanchar Island. The QC initiative coming as part of its relief project benefits approximately 22,800 individuals, enhancing their living conditions and ensuring access to a safe and reliable cooking fuel source. This project also aims to enhance the quality of life for Rohingya refugees by promoting safe cooking practices. Many refugees previously relied on firewood, which not only posed safety risks but was also difficult to collect and harmful to the environment. Samiya, a refugee mother of three, expressed her gratitude for the cooking gas cylinder. "Before receiving this assistance, cooking was a struggle. We had to collect firewood, which was not only dangerous but also time-consuming," she said.  "Now, I can prepare meals quickly and safely for my children. This support has greatly improved our daily lives," she added. Samiya expressed regret over the deforestation and destruction of the island’s forests, acknowledging that they had no other choice to secure food. "Now, we don’t have to damage the forest anymore. I hope this project continues for as long as we remain here," she remarked. Hossain Ahmed, a 39-year-old refugee, expressed his appreciation for the positive impact of cooking gas. "Having cooking gas allows us to prepare a variety of meals, which brings joy to our daily routine," he remarked. "This assistance from Qatar Charity means a lot to us; it gives us hope and helps us feel more settled in our new environment."

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is used for cooking in many urban and rural households in Bangladesh. Gas cylinder safety is paramount in every household. Neglecting safety measures can lead to catastrophic consequences including death and burn injuries. Understanding the importance of proper gas cylinder handling and storage is crucial in preventing accidents. Let’s delve into essential safety measures to prevent LPG cylinder-related accidents. How to Use LPG Gas Cylinder Safely at Home  Proper Storage of Gas Cylinders When storing gas cylinders, it is crucial to keep them upright in a well-ventilated space, away from direct sunlight and other sources of heat. This helps prevent the risk of overheating or ignition.  Additionally, one should ensure that the cylinders are securely positioned to avoid any accidental tipping, which could lead to leaks or damage. Proper storage practices are essential for maintaining the integrity and safety of gas cylinders in the home.  Read more: Why Fire Safety Audit is Essential for Commercial Buildings Purchase from an Authorised Distributor When purchasing LPG cylinders, it is crucial to buy from authorised distributors to ensure quality and safety.  Before placing an order, it is advisable to verify the agency's authorisation status online. This step helps consumers ensure that they are purchasing genuine and certified cylinders from trusted sources, enhancing safety standards in their homes.  Regular Maintenance Checks Regular maintenance checks are vital for ensuring the safety of gas cylinders at home. Certified technicians should conduct periodic inspections to identify any leaks or signs of damage.  Prompt detection of issues allows for timely repairs or replacement of faulty cylinders and reduces the risk of accidents. By prioritising regular maintenance, households can minimise the chances of gas leaks or cylinder malfunctions, thus safeguarding the well-being of occupants and property. Read more: Fire Safety Tips for Parents to Keep Children Safe Safe Handling Practices Safe handling practices are paramount when dealing with gas cylinders. It is essential to handle them with care, avoiding rough treatment or dropping that could lead to damage or leaks. When transporting cylinders, use appropriate equipment to ensure stability and minimise the risk of accidents.  Also, avoid dragging cylinders across the floor, as this could cause abrasions or compromise their integrity. By adhering to safe handling practices, individuals can mitigate potential hazards.  Ensuring Adequate Ventilation Ensuring adequate ventilation is essential, particularly in confined areas where gas cylinders are stored or used. Proper airflow plays a vital role in dispersing any leaked gas, preventing its accumulation, and reducing the risk of ignition.  By maintaining sufficient ventilation, households can enhance safety levels and minimise the likelihood of hazardous situations arising from gas leaks. Prioritising ventilation measures are integral to creating a safer environment when dealing with gas cylinders at home.  Read more: Fire Safety in Apartments: Causes and Prevention Checking for Leaks Before using a gas cylinder, it is essential to conduct a leak test to ensure safety. A simple method is to apply a solution of soapy water to the cylinder valve and connections. If bubbles form, it indicates a leak.  In such cases, the cylinder should not be used until the leak is rectified by a qualified technician. Regularly checking for leaks helps prevent potential hazards and ensures the safe use of gas cylinders in households.  Proper Installation of Gas Appliances Proper installation of gas appliances is crucial for safety. It is recommended to hire certified technicians to install gas appliances, adhering to manufacturer guidelines. Improper installation may result in gas leaks or malfunctions, posing significant risks to occupants.  Certified technicians have the expertise to ensure correct installation, reducing the likelihood of hazards. By prioritising professional installation, households can enhance safety levels in their homes.  Read more: Workplace Fire Safety: 12 Effective Ways to Prevent Fire Hazards Emergency Procedures In the event of a gas leak, swift action is essential for safety. Firstly, turn off the cylinder valve to stop the gas flow. Next, open windows and doors to ventilate the area, helping to disperse the gas. It is significant to evacuate the premises immediately and move to a safe location outdoors.  If the situation escalates or there is a risk of fire or explosion, contact emergency services without delay for professional assistance. Prioritising quick and decisive action can prevent potential accidents and protect lives.  Educating Family Members Ensuring that all family members are well-informed about gas cylinder safety is paramount. Children, in particular, should be educated on the importance of not meddling with gas appliances and being able to identify the signs of a gas leak.  By instilling this knowledge, households can empower everyone to recognise potential hazards and take appropriate action, thereby fostering a safer environment for all occupants. Education plays a crucial role in preventing accidents and promoting responsible behaviour when dealing with gas cylinders at home.  Read more: Car Fire Safety: Common Causes and Immediate Things to Do Importance of Professional Assistance Seeking professional assistance for gas-related tasks is crucial to upholding safety standards and regulatory compliance. Certified technicians possess the expertise and training to handle installations, repairs, and maintenance of gas appliances and cylinders.  Entrusting these tasks to professionals minimises the risk of errors or safety hazards, ensuring the well-being of occupants. By adhering to professional standards, households can maintain the integrity of their gas systems and mitigate the potential for accidents or incidents arising from improper handling or maintenance.  Safety Tips for Cooking with Gas When using gas stoves for cooking, prioritise kitchen ventilation to disperse any gas fumes effectively. Never leave the stove unattended while cooking to prevent potential accidents.  Additionally, avoid wearing loose clothing that could easily catch fire, and ensure that flammable objects are kept at a safe distance from the stove.  Read more: School Fire Hazard Safety: Essential preventive measures to minimise risk Final Words In numerous households in Bangladesh, LPG cylinder is used for cooking. Therefore, the safety issue of LPG cylinders is non-negotiable. By following these precautions and guidelines while using gas cylinders, households can minimise the risk of fire hazards and ensure safer cooking environments.

A fisherman on Sunday succumbed to his burn injuries he sustained in a fire after a gas cylinder exploded inside a fishing trawler at ghat-6 of Nuniachara  in Cox’s Bazar town. The deceased was identified as Osman Gani, 20. Read: 3 probe bodies formed, gateman suspended over death of 3 GRP police in Ctg accident He breathed his last on Sunday night while undergoing treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH), said Brigadier General Md Shamim Ahsan, director of the hospital. Osman was admitted to the hospital on Friday with 60 per cent burns. Earlier on Friday morning, 11 fishermen suffered burn injuries after a gas cylinder exploded inside a trawler at ghat-6 of Nuniachara in Bazar town of Cox’s Bazar. Of the injured, two injured fishermen were sent to Dhaka for better treatment. Read: Son hacks father to death in Ctg And the rest of the injured burn with 60-90 per cent, are currently being treated at the hospital and their condition is not so good, the CMCH director added. “Their respiratory tracts were also affected.” Mizanur Rahman, ward-2 councillor of Cox’s Bazar municipality, said the cylinder exploded while cooking, leaving 11 fishermen injured.

Price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has been slashed again. Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) announced the new price, saying that a 12kg LPG cylinder’s price has been reduced by Tk 75.24. A retail consumer will now get it at Tk 999 instead of Tk 1,074 (including VAT). Prices of other sizes of LPG cylinders – from 5.5kg to 45kg – will go down rationally, Md Nurul Amin, newly appointed chairman of BERC, said at a press briefing on Monday at the BERC office in Dhaka. The new prices will be effective from 6 pm today (July 3, 2023). LPG price drops by Tk 13.42 per kg BERC officials said the LPG price witnessed a decline in the local market due to the decrease in the prices of Saudi CP (contract price). Bangladeshi LPG operators normally import their products from the Middle-East market on the basis of Saudi CP. As per the BERC decision, the price of “auto gas” (LPG used for motor vehicles) also dropped to Tk 46.59 (including VAT) per litre from the previous Tk 50.09. 12-kg LPG price goes up by Tk 57 to Tk 1235 The price of LPG, marketed by state-owned LP Gas Company, will remain the same as it is locally produced with a market share of less than 5 percent. LPG witnessed the highest price at Tk 1,498 (per 12kg cylinder) in the local market in February this year following the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February last year. 12kg LPG cylinder to cost Tk 244 less

Seven people were burned dead and another was injured after the gas cylinder of a microbus exploded on Dhaka-Khulna highway at Maligram in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur district on Saturday (June 24, 2023). The deceased included three women, two men and two children but their identities could not be known yet. A fire broke out in the microbus as its gas cylinder went off around 11 am, leaving five people dead on the spot and three others injured, said Tayumul Islam, officer-in-charge of Bhanga Highway Police. Read more: Couple who suffered burns in fire from ‘gas line leak’ in Dhaka's Tejgaon dies Two passengers succumbed to their injuries at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Medical College (BSMMC) Hospital, said Md Shahjahan, superintendent of the district police.   Injured microbus driver Mridul Malo, a resident of Sadar upazila, has been undergoing treatment at BSMMC hospital.   Read more: Wari fire death toll rises to 2 The bodies were kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy, he said, adding that the deceased hailed from Boalmari upazila of the district. Deputy Commissioner Kamrul Ahsan Talukder said they have already formed a five-member probe committee to look into the matter and asked to submit its report within next two days. He said Tk 20,000 was given for burial to the families of each deceased and Tk 10,000 for treatment of the injured driver. Read more: https://unb.com.bd/category/Bangladesh/man-injured-in-narayanganj-tv-blast-dies/117252

The death toll from the gas cylinder explosion that caused a fire at a house in Dhaka's Dhamrai rose to four as another injured person died at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) on Wednesday morning, police said. The deceased was identified as Monjurul Islam, 32. Monjurul, who sustained burn injuries to 33 percent of his body, died at the intensive care unit (ICU) of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery around 8am, said its resident surgeon Dr SM Ayub Hossain. Earlier, Manjurul's wife Josna Begum, 25, their one-and-half-year-old daughter Mariam and niece Sadiya Akter, 18, succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. Also Read: Dhamrai fire: Child victim dies at DMCH Josna's elder sister Hosna Begum, 30, is now undergoing treatment at the hospital with 25 percent burn injuries, Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Police Outpost, said. On January 7, a fire broke out following a gas cylinder blast on the second floor of Monjurul's rented house at Kumral village in Dhamrai at around 5.30am when Josna Begum tried to light a gas stove.                

Two people suffered serious burn injuries after a gas cylinder fitted in a car caught fire in the capital's Asad Gate area on Thursday night, police said. The injured are Rubel Dutta, 45, a merchandiser and owner of the car, and Uzzal Kumar,35, driver of the vehicle, Nayan Biswash, brother-in-law of Rubel, said. Read more: Worker dies in N’ganj gas cylinder blast The incident occurred around 10:30pm as Rubel, a resident of the Green Road area, was returning home from his office in Uttara, Bacchu Mia, in-charge of the DMCH Police Outpost, said. Rubel and Uzzal are now undergoing treatment at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Nayan said. Read more: 5 youths burnt in Cumilla gas cylinder fire The doctors said Rubel suffered 60 percent burns and Uzzal 40 percent and that they are still not out of the woods, he added.

A technical committee of Petrobangla recommended formulating separate safety and security guidelines to allow any private company to supply gas from Bhola to local industries as CNG (compressed natural gas). “We’ve submitted our report to the top management of Petrobangla recently”, a member of the committee, preferring anonymity, told UNB. He said the committee also recommended involvement of the Department of Explosive in ensuring compliance of certain security protocols. The committee also wants strong monitoring by the RPGCL to ensure specific procedures in gas transportation for motor vehicles. The state-owned Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation, or Petrobangla, formed the committee last month after three local CNG refuelling companies expressed their interest to carry natural gas in CNG form from Bhola to Dhaka in trucks and covered vans. Read: Search for gas: Chevron plans drilling in Bibiyana’s flanked area in April Each truck or covered van will have a good number of gas cylinders, each having 90-kg gas containing capacity. These companies—Intraco CNG, Super CNG and Oblivious—submitted separate proposals to the Sundarban Gas Company Limited (SGCL), a Petrobangla subsidiary responsible for distribution of natural gas from Bhola field to the southern and eastern parts of the country. The SGCL forwarded the proposals to Petrobangla for the decision. Receiving the proposals, the Petrobangla formed a 4-member technical committee, headed by director (planning) to examine the proposal and recommend follow-up actions. Read:  Low pressure problem in gas supply to industries to be resolved: Nasrul A senior official from Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL) was also kept in the committee as currently this company is responsible for import of gas through liquefied natural gas (LNG) and also for issuing permission for setting up CNG stations.  Another member of the committee said that ensuring safety is a must. Otherwise, it will be impossible to check anarchy and risk in this business as the gas will be carried through highways. The issue of the supply of gas from Bhola came to the focus following the Prime Minister’s Energy Advisor Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury’s recent assurance to a gathering of top business leaders to supply such gas within 2-3 months. Petrobangla officials said that when the country has been experiencing a nagging gas crisis, the Bhola gas field has surplus production capacity which remains unutilised due to supply mechanisms. Read: Can’t import 400 MMCFD gas as per businessmen’s demand: Energy Advisor The gas field’s production capacity is 170 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) while it produces 90 MMCFD. So easily, 80 MMCFD gas could be supplied to the national network if safe transportation is ensured, Petrobangla chairman Nazmul Ahsan recently told reporters.   At present, the country produces 2,700 MMCFD gas against a demand of 3,500 MMCFD and the deficit is about 800 MMCFD. Currently, transportation of natural gas in CNG form by-road is prohibited considering its risk for major explosion as CNG is a form of gas processed by compressing the natural gas at 3000 PSI (pounds per square inch). Energy experts said transportation of natural gas in CNG cylinders is not allowed in normal trucks because of its high-pressure characteristics. Read More: Petrobangla to get Tk 2000 crore from GDF to import LNG About the option of bringing gas from Bhola through CNG form, eminent energy expert Dr M Tamim said it will be too dangerous to carry CNG through normal trucks having cylinders, which is currently being practised by different garment and textile factories. There are some specialised barge-mounted CNG carriers which could be allowed under certain rules and regulations. “This kind of business needs some specific technical and technological process to be set up to ensure its safety as the CNG is of highly compressed gas of 3000 psi”, he told UNB.      Installation of such a process might not be possible within a short period of 3 or 4 months, he added. Read More: Petrobangla starts drilling in Shahbazpur Gas Field Despite prohibition, some textile and garment factories collect natural gas from refuelling stations through small containers, mounted on trucks, to meet their industrial needs against the backdrop of the gas crisis. In this case, a truck carries 30-50 CNG cylinders and each cylinder has 90 kg of compressed gas bottling capacity. This kind of CNG transportation is highly risky. An incident of explosion happened at a CNG re-fuelling stations in Gazipur in which for people were killed on October 13. Explosion occurred when a garment factory was injecting gas into cylinders in illegal from the gas station. Despite this incident, recently, three export-oriented business bodies—Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BCMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) — requested the Bangladesh CNG Filling Station & Conversion Workshop Owners Association to supply natural gas to their member industries through cylinders. Read More: No additional LNG supply from Qatar before 2025: Petrobangla But CNG filling station owners rejected the request, saying that entertaining such requests is not possible as the existing law in Bangladesh does not permit them to supply CNG through cylinders.

Five youths have sustained burn injuries as a fire broke out originating from a gas cylinder in Homna upazila of Cumilla. The injured were identified as Md Sajib, 23, Md Jalal Uddin, 22, Md Saiful, 20, Saidul Islam, 35, and Md Shahin, 38. The fire broke out at the house of Abdul Latif in Joypur village of the upazila Sunday evening, said Upazila Fire station in-charge Md Usman Gani. "Latif's wife was trying to light their gas stove in the evening but it did not work. She might have left the gas cylinder on which caused the fire," added Usman Gani. The five people sustained burn injuries while trying to tame the blaze, he added. They were first taken to Upazila Health Complex and then Sajib and Jalal were shifted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) in critical condition, said Md Aminul Islam, deputy assistant community medical officer of the health complex.

Be ready to shell out more for a cooking gas cylinder. In one of the steepest hikes in recent times, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Thursday raised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices by Tk 151 a 12-kg cylinder. Read: LPG gets costlier by Tk 62 per 12-kg container A domestic gas cylinder will now cost Tk 1,391 instead of the earlier Tk 1,240 -- a hike that has been attributed to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Not only domestic cylinders, prices of auto gas have also been increased to TK 64.78 a litre from the current Tk 57.51. BERC chairman Abdul Jalil said the Russia-Ukraine war has pushed up the LPG prices globally, creating a crisis in the energy market. "We are forced to hike the local LPG prices as the Saudi contract price (CP) has risen globally -- from $775 per metric tonne to $911," he said. "Earlier local suppliers faced supply disruptions. But now the problem has been resolved." The BERC chairman, however, said the prices of the state-owned LP Gas Company's LPG will remain unchanged as it's not linked to the global market rates. According to industry insiders, the Saudi CP is normally announced at the end of every month to make it effective for the next month, and it takes at least 7-10 days for a shipment of the fuel to arrive in the country. Read: Private operators’ LPG: Price goes up again Most Bangladeshi private companies import their bulk LPG from the Middle East on the basis of Saudi CP and market it locally. BERC, for the first time, fixed the retail-level LPG prices on April 12 after holding a public hearing to comply with a High Court order.