CNG stations to remain closed 6 hours during Ramadan
The government has decided to keep compressed natural gas (CNG) stations closed for six hours a day (from 5 pm to 11 pm) instead of the previous schedule of five hours.
The decision will come into effect from the first day of Ramadan, according to a press release from the Bangladesh Oil, Gas, and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla).
The government took the decision to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the holy month.
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On 16 September last year, the government directed the CNG pump owners to keep their stations closed for four hours from 6 pm to 10 pm every day until further order against the nagging gas crisis across the country.
Last month, the closure was extended for five hours a day from 6 pm to 11 pm.
The duration of CNG station closure has been increased as gas supply in the national gas transmission line dropped due to a failure of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) re-gasifying unit.
The recent war between Russia and Ukraine has resulted in further volatility in the global market which ultimately forced the authorities concerned to take such measures to reduce supply at CNG pumps.
Energy industry insiders said the country has to import about 20% of its gas at high cost to supply fuel to the local networks through two floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs).
Two FSRUs have a capacity to supply 1,000 million cubic feet (mmcf) gas per day.
But input from the FSRUs has dropped 535 mmcf per day, which has made the gas crisis more acute in recent times.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association asked the authorities concerned to rethink their decision.
Farhan Noor, general secretary of the association, told The Business Standard that the decision would push us to close our business which is already hit hard due to the four-hour closure since September last year.
"We were expecting that the authorities would uplift the existing restriction, but they have come up with a harsher measure," he added.
At present, around 500 CNG stations across the country consume 5% of the total consumption (2850 mmcf per day).
