Since the beginning of winter due to the extreme mismanagement of Bakhrabad, the kitchen stoves are not burning during the day in different areas of Comilla district due to gas shortage. Lakhs of residents of Comilla are suffering due to this. These customers under Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Limited (BGDCL) face such crisis every year in winter. Gas supply is being disrupted due to illegal supply of gas to CNG filling stations by some dishonest officials of Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Limited. Apart from this, in addition to supplying fuel directly to cars under the cover of CNG filling stations in Comilla, by placing cylinders inside covered vans in a special process, they store gas from the main gas line without meters and illegally sell it at high prices to various factories in different parts of the country including Comilla and areas where there is no gas connection.
Also, this unscrupulous group has been collecting CNG gas by setting up mobile CNG stations at different places and selling it at higher price per cubic foot than the prevailing market price. CNG is sold illegally at inflated prices instead of the government fixed amount. In this way, large explosions may occur during the illegal supply and sale of gas and besides this, the government is facing huge financial losses due to the sale of this gas without meters.
Comilla RAB 11 conducted raids at some CNG filling stations in Comilla and arrested several members of this gang and filed a case against them. Conscious people claim that if Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company had regularly monitored the CNG filling stations, these misdeeds would not have happened. We residents of Comilla could use gas without interruption. Customers of Comilla metropolis and several nearby Upazilas are not getting gas most of the day. But consumers complain that there is no visible action by the authorities to resolve their grievances.
According to residential customers, the problem is a technical problem of BGDCL - which the officials lack sincerity in solving.
The customers expressed their anger and said that the gas pressure in the stove is very low from 7 am every day. It started increasing slowly around 2-3 pm. Again the pressure decreases in the evening. It rises again around 9 pm.
Due to lack of gas pressure during important family times, customers have to suffer a lot.
It is known that Bishnupur, Chhotara, Ashoktala, Kaliajuri, Bhatpara, Tomcham Bridge, Ashrafpur, Shaktala, Chanpur, Shubpur, Chawkbazar, Mogaltuli, Sanraish, Navagram, Naluapara, Sujanagar, Pathuriapara, Nurpur, Telikona, and Chowara, Mainamati of Burichong in Comilla city, Panchthubi Majhigacha area of Rampur and Adarsh Sadar upazila has very low gas pressure from dawn to 8 pm.
The situation is the same for the customers of Nagarpar and surrounding areas of Muradnagar Upazila of the district.Meanwhile, not getting gas in time, some are cooking in kerosene stove. Many are using cylinders again. Some are taking food from the hotel. In this way, residential customers have to spend a lot of money while making alternative arrangements.
In this regard, the General Manager of Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Limited said that this is happening because of the national crisis. He said that the government has taken steps in this regard. This problem will be solved soon.