Long queues are forming at CNG filling stations across Dhaka as a shortage of natural gas forces drivers to spend hours waiting for fuel. Many say they are often unable to obtain enough gas even after standing in line for three to four hours, cutting into their working time and reducing their daily earnings.
The disruption is also creating difficulties for private vehicle owners. Some are switching to petrol-powered driving because of the uncertainty at CNG stations, while others are leaving their vehicles in garages. For commercial drivers, however, the problem is particularly severe as they must continue meeting fixed daily payments to vehicle owners despite losing valuable hours at filling stations.
The situation was observed at several CNG stations in different parts of the capital from Friday morning until noon. Low gas pressure was slowing the refuelling process, meaning that even after one vehicle had completed fuelling, the queue behind it was barely moving. Stations in areas including Hajipara, as well as other busy parts of the capital, were seeing a steady stream of vehicles waiting for fuel.
Drivers said the shortage was forcing them to reorganise their entire working day. Some have to visit a station twice a day, first to collect a limited amount of gas and later to refuel again after driving for only a few hours. The result is less time available for carrying passengers, while fuel-related waiting and travel add to their workload.
Anwar Hossain, a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw driver from Moghbazar, said he spends three to four hours every day waiting for gas. Even after such a long wait, he sometimes fails to obtain enough fuel to operate the vehicle for an extended period.
He said the problem was particularly difficult because he still had to pay the vehicle owner the agreed daily amount, regardless of how much he earned.
Another driver, Raisul Islam, said he pays Tk1,200 to the vehicle owner every day. According to him, he often has to wait three to four hours for gas, and low pressure sometimes means he can purchase only Tk100 to Tk120 worth of fuel.
After driving for three or four hours, he said, he has to return to a station to refuel again. The reduced working time has significantly affected his income and made it increasingly difficult to meet household expenses.
The shortage is also affecting passengers. With many CNG auto-rickshaws remaining at filling stations for extended periods, fewer vehicles are available on the roads. Passengers may therefore have to wait longer or pay higher fares when they eventually find a vehicle.
Private vehicle owners are facing similar uncertainty. Rahman Sharif, a resident of Bailey Road, said he sometimes spends one to two hours, or even longer, waiting to refuel. Such delays can disrupt office schedules and other urgent commitments.
He said that while it was previously possible to refuel and leave within a predictable period, drivers now cannot be certain when they will receive gas. On some occasions, he has left his car behind and travelled to work using ride-sharing services or CNG auto-rickshaws.
The pressure on CNG users reflects a wider strain on the country’s gas supply system. According to data available at 6pm on Friday, total gas supply stood at 2.32 billion cubic feet per day. Domestic sources supplied 1.62 billion cubic feet, while liquefied natural gas contributed 700 million cubic feet.
An LNG carrier named Maran Gas Olympius, carrying LNG for Aramco, connected to the Summit terminal at 5:54am on Friday. The arrival provided additional LNG to the country’s gas supply system, although the shortage was still being felt by consumers and transport operators.
The gas supply situation is also affecting electricity generation. At 7pm on Friday, national electricity demand stood at 15,038 megawatts, against a supply of 14,660MW, leaving a shortfall of 378MW.
The gap had been considerably larger earlier in the day. At 6am, demand was 14,819MW while supply stood at 12,717MW, leaving a deficit of 2,102MW. At 1am on Thursday, load-shedding had reached 2,981MW.
The power system also faced additional pressure after one unit of the Godda power plant operated by Adani Power in Jharkhand was shut down because of a technical fault. At 7pm on Friday, the plant supplied 754MW, compared with an expected 1,436MW.
Plans to expand LNG infrastructure
The government is planning to expand LNG infrastructure as part of its longer-term strategy to increase gas availability. A third floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), with a capacity of 600 million cubic feet per day, is planned for Maheshkhali by 2028.
A land-based LNG terminal at Matarbari, with a planned capacity of 1 billion cubic feet per day, is expected to be operational by 2030.
State Minister for Energy Anindya Islam Amit outlined these plans at the 15th LNG Producer-Consumer Conference 2026 in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday.
The proposed infrastructure is intended to strengthen Bangladesh’s ability to receive and regasify LNG and improve the reliability of gas supplies over the longer term. In the immediate term, however, motorists and CNG drivers in Dhaka continue to face a more pressing problem: long queues, slow refuelling and uncertainty over whether they will receive enough gas to complete their day’s work.
