Owners bin Petrobangla proposal for keeping CNG stations off for 7hrs

The CNG station owners have rejected a Petrobangla offer to expand the closing hours of the gas filling stations from the current 5 hours to 7 hours to discourage users and tackle the looming energy crisis.

The Compressed Natural Gas stations currently close business for five hours beginning from 6 pm. If extended by another two hours, the stations will remain shut until 1:00am.

Petrobangla---the government-owned national oil company of Bangladesh---held a meeting with the CNG station owners to discuss the ongoing oil and power crisis.  But the owners argued that if rationing is extended for another two hours, there will be no business for them at all. They disagreed with the proposal.

Petrobangla explores, produces, transports, manages and sells oil, natural gas and other mineral resources.

The Secretary of CNG Station Owners Association, Farhan Noor, told Business Insider Bangladesh that “Petrobangla called us on Tuesday to talk about gas shortages and sought our support.  But we disagreed with them.”

Noor said, only 3 percent of gas is used in the transport sector with the maximum possible prices. If the government further cuts in refuelling time, businesses will suffer more.

Some 500 CNG stations in the business buy gas at Tk 43 per unit.  

“This is a very crucial time for the country as the world has been suffering from an energy supply crunch. So, everyone should be cooperative. We have talked to them formally without reaching any final decision,” said Kamruzzaman, operational director of the Petrobangla.