10 Years Without Gas—Over 200,000 Customers Cry Out: ‘No More Discrimination’ Explosive Press Conference in Chattogram -

Md. Kamal Uddin    |    ১১:০০ পিএম, ২০২৬-০১-১৪

By Md. Kamal Uddin
The morning begins in the absence of gas, and the evening drifts into the haze of uncertainty. In Chattogram and other major cities across the country, daily gas load-shedding has become a silent punishment. Kitchens remain cold, yet government policies burn brightly on paper. While pipelines run dry, people are virtually held hostage by cylinder suppliers and unscrupulous businesses. Prices soar, shortages are engineered without regulation, and ordinary citizens bear the brunt. A decade of gas deprivation is no longer exceptional—it has become a terrifying norm of systemic mismanagement. Despite applications, payments, and completed infrastructure, over 200,000 people remain deprived of gas connections. This is not just an energy crisis—it is a blatant violation of citizens’ fundamental rights. On one side, there are tales of development; on the other, abandoned homes, bankrupt families, and unemployed workers. This stark contrast puts the state’s accountability under severe scrutiny. When load-shedding persists in broad daylight, and syndicates flourish under the cover of night, it becomes clear the problem is not technical—it is a reflection of political, ethical, and administrative failure. The press conference in Chattogram gave voice to this silent agony, leaving no room for indifference. The people’s cries demand to be heard, responsibilities acknowledged, and discrimination eradicated.
For over a decade, citizens and contractors across the country have completed every formal procedure—applications, payments, pipeline construction—yet remain gasless. The resounding slogan of the press conference, “No more discrimination—no one should be denied what is due,” called for immediate gas connection, the resumption of stove extension programs, and resolution of longstanding complications. The event, organized by the Chattogram Gas Distribution Company Limited Contractors Welfare Association at CDA Avenue near Omar Ali Market, revealed that since 2015, under the six companies affiliated with Petrobangla, nearly 215,000 people nationwide—and over 25,000 in Chattogram alone—have been waiting for gas connections. Most had long paid demand notes, security deposits, connection fees, and pipeline construction costs. Speakers at the conference accused authorities of violating the government gazette of August 18, 2014, and the Citizen Charter, which mandate gas connections within 18 working days after completion of formalities. “Living in the same state, some receive gas while others do not. This is not just administrative failure; it is a deliberate undermining of constitutional rights,” they said. The conference highlighted the social and economic consequences of the gas crisis: abandoned buildings, bankrupt middle-class families, and unemployed laborers. Cities like Chattogram, Dhaka, Comilla, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Sirajganj, and Bhola have seen thousands of constructed homes left uninhabited. Owners cannot find tenants and fail to pay bank loans, driving many toward insolvency. The suspension of stove extension programs has worsened inequality. Even if lower floors in buildings have connections, upper floors remain without, forcing owners into economic loss. Speakers called these policies “unreasonable and discriminatory” and demanded their immediate reinstatement. Since 2015, nearly 2,300 contractors and thousands of workers have been left unemployed due to sudden suspension of gas connection programs, leaving families to endure inhumane conditions—contradicting the notion of a development-oriented state. The conference also accused LPG syndicates of exploiting the shortage, artificially increasing dependence on cylinders while siphoning billions in profits. Journalists were urged to act as the nation’s conscience: “Your writing and media coverage will carry this image of discrimination to the highest levels of government.” Citizens’ constitutional rights to gas, water, and electricity must be actively safeguarded by the media. Presiding over the conference, Md. Nazmul Hossain Chowdhury, President of the Chattogram Gas Distribution Company Limited Contractors Welfare Association, said, “We are not asking for charity—we demand our rights. If discrimination continues, the movement will intensify.” General Secretary A.K.M. Oliullah Haque added, “This crisis is not just about gas it threatens human life, housing, and the economy.” Reporter’s Analysis The gas crisis is no longer a temporary issue; it is the product of long-standing systemic neglect. Over the past decade, discriminatory practices and inaction within Chattogram Gas and other Petrobangla-affiliated companies have directly challenged citizens’ fundamental rights. Even after fulfilling all applications, payments, and infrastructure requirements, hundreds of thousands remain deprived. Sada Kalo Multimedia News House has consistently reported on this issue through Chattogram Chitra, The Tourist, Somoyer Alo, and Dainik Vorer Awaaz, highlighting financial devastation, broken middle-class dreams, and decades-long inequalities. Yet, despite the abundant coverage, no responsible authority has taken effective action. The government’s avoidance of accountability has become increasingly apparent. In a democratic state, the media’s role is to warn, expose failures, and speak for the citizens. That responsibility has been fulfilled. The question remains: has the state acted? With the gazette, Citizen Charter, and constitutional rights confined to paper, public trust is eroding. Without basic gas for energy, housing systems collapse, bank loan burdens rise, and ‘ghost homes’ multiply—silent signs of social catastrophe. Worse, the crisis has fueled reliance on LPG and the rise of unscrupulous syndicates. Who benefits from the state’s inaction? The prolonged suffering naturally raises suspicions of policy failure and self-serving collusion. Today’s press conference is more than a list of demands it is a final warning to the government. If media reports continue to be ignored, public anger may spiral out of control. The government must understand that the gas crisis cannot be avoided it must be resolved. Timely decisions are essential; otherwise, history will not forgive. Political will, administrative transparency, and responsibility toward citizens are urgently needed. Otherwise, the word “development” will remain a slogan while people burn in the fire of inequality and deprivation.