‘No Gas’ Signs Grip Jashore Filling Stations, Stranding Ambulances, Vehicles
A severe compressed natural gas (CNG) crisis has gripped Jashore over the past two weeks, creating extreme distress for transport operators across the district. Filling stations throughout the region report acute gas shortages, leaving many pumps displaying ‘No Gas’ signs and forcing drivers to return empty-handed after waiting in long queues for hours. The severe shortage has disrupted regular transportation services, escalated operating expenses, and severely threatened local livelihoods across the district.
Transport drivers, including those operating rent-a-car services, report that some stations are withholding supply under various pretexts while others have halted distribution entirely. Out of sheer desperation, many operators are leaving their vehicles stranded at filling stations or purchasing octane and petrol at significantly higher prices to stay operational. ‘I bought my car with a loan,’ shared a distressed rent-a-car driver. ‘Without gas, I cannot get enough hires. A major part of the day goes to waste standing in pump queues, making it extremely difficult to support my family’.
The shortage poses an alarming threat to emergency medical transport services, particularly ambulances transferring critical patients from Jashore to Dhaka and other major medical hubs. Operators warn that running out of fuel mid-journey could lead to fatal consequences on the highway. ‘We transport emergency patients. If we run out of gas mid-journey, there is no guarantee where we can refill,’ stated an ambulance driver while describing his daily ordeal. ‘It is impossible to stand in line at a pump for hours with a critical patient. If a patient’s life is compromised due to this gas shortage, who will take responsibility?’
Addressing the growing public outcry, filling station owners rejected allegations of deliberate withholding, attributing the crisis entirely to inadequate supplies from parent gas distribution companies. They asserted that stations are distributing whatever volume they receive and cannot meet demand due to systemic allocation deficits. ‘We are supplying whatever quantity we receive from the distribution company,’ explained a local pump owner during a spot check. ‘The shortage exists because the overall supply itself is inadequate, so allegations of deliberate withholding are completely untrue’.
To mitigate the worsening situation, drivers are demanding complete transparency and strict supervisory monitoring over daily gas allocations and pump distribution schedules across Jashore. Transport workers urgently appeal to relevant authorities for an immediate restoration of regular CNG supplies, alongside prioritized gas allocation for emergency medical vehicles. They warn that without swift intervention from government authorities, the transportation crisis will continue to escalate, inflicting further economic hardship and safety risks on general commuters throughout the entire region.
