Gas Crisis Worsens as Water Enters Pipeline During Leak Repair

Although the gas pipeline damaged beneath the Turag River by an anchor strike has been repaired, water has entered the pipeline. Under these circumstances, repair work is being carried out by reducing gas pressure. As a result, the gas crisis in the capital has once again reached an extreme level. City residents were already facing severe hardship due to the absence of gas.

On Thursday (8 January), Titas said that although the distribution gas pipeline damaged by the anchor of a cargo trawler at the bottom of the Turag River in Amin Bazar has been repaired, water entered the pipeline during the repair work. At the same time, due to reduced supply, severe low gas pressure is prevailing across Dhaka metropolitan area. Efforts to resolve the low-pressure gas problem are ongoing. Titas Gas authorities have expressed regret for the temporary inconvenience caused to customers.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday (7 January) evening, the General Manager of Titas’ Operations Division, Kazi Mohammad Saidul Hasan, said that the pipeline had been damaged several days earlier due to a ship’s anchor. Local residents informed the authorities after noticing bubbles rising in the water. After that, repair work was initiated. During this time, gas problems were observed from Gabtoli to Asad Gate. For safety reasons, gas pressure was reduced in several areas, including Mohammadpur.

Due to this gas leakage, several lakh customers in parts of Dhaka—from Amin Bazar to Asad Gate, including Mohammadpur, Adabar, Gabtoli, and Dhanmondi—have faced extreme hardship today.

Roksana Marzia from Uttara said that there has been no gas in her house since morning. When she went to a restaurant to buy food, she found huge crowds. Somehow, after struggling, she managed to buy tehari. Otherwise, she would have had to get through lunch today eating bread and bananas. Now it is being heard that gas will return after 10 pm.

Meanwhile, Shaila Ahmed, a resident of Rayer Bazar, said that gas came with strong pressure in the morning. She became very happy, as she had not seen such gas pressure throughout the entire winter. Shortly afterward, the pressure dropped again and became very weak. Even heating water is not possible. “How long do we have to suffer like this just for gas?” she said.