Owners demand 3hrs closure of CNG stations daily instead of 6hrs

CNG refuelling station owners’ association has demanded that the government keep the stations shut for three hours daily instead of planned six hours.

They placed their demand at a meeting with Petrobangla chairman and its top officials on Tuesday. The owners proposed that CNG stations can be shut from 6pm to 9pm every day.

The Energy Division will make a decision on the proposal, officials concerned said.

At a press conference after the meeting, Petrobangla Director (operations and mines) Ali Md Al-Mamun said that he would put forward the outcomes of the meeting to the ministry concerned immediately to make a decision in this regard.

The rationing system will be introduced considering the pick hours, he said adding the system may not come into effect from Wednesday as announced on Monday.

On Monday, the authorities suspended a decision, just taken a few hours ago, to keep the CNG filling stations closed every day between 5pm and 11pm from September 15.

Taking part in the press conference, CNG owners’ association president Masum Khan said the LNG is not being imported, which caused the gas crisis during the country’s pick hour.