The CNG (compressed natural gas) filling stations across the country will remain closed for six hours (from 5pm to 11pm) every day during Ramadan.
The government has taken the decision to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the holy month.
Tariqul Islam Khan, Deputy General Manager of the Bangladesh Oil, Gas, and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla), confirmed the matter to the media at a press release on Wednesday.
According to the press release, from the beginning of Ramadan, all CNG filling stations in Bangladesh will remain closed for six hours from 5:00pm to 11:00pm until Eid-ul-Fitre instead of 6:00pm to 11:00pm.
“Vigilance teams will monitor the stations to implement the decision. Those stations defying the order will face legal action, the release adds. Peteobangla has apologised for any temporary inconvenience caused by the decision.
On September 16 last year, the government directed CNG filling station owners to keep their organisations shut for four hours (from 6 pm to 10 pm) daily. Later the government extended the timing by one hour from March.
In recent months, the country has been importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) at high prices after failing to keep gas supply in households and industries normal due to a huge gap between the demand and supply.
Energy industry insiders say the country imports about 20 percent of its gas at high cost as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and re-gasify to supply the fuel to local networks.
For the past few months, the price of LNG in the global market witnessed a steep hike -- from $6 per MMBtu to over $30 per MMBtu.