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CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers blocked a road in Chattogram on Friday morning, protesting the prolonged shortage of gas at filling stations.
Hundreds of drivers took to the streets in the Sholoshahar area from early Friday (August 14), bringing traffic to a halt on the road between Muradpur and Gate No. 2.
The drivers said they had been waiting for more than 24 hours in long queues outside filling stations but were still unable to get gas. They also alleged that station authorities could not provide any clear information about when gas supplies would return to normal.
“We haven’t been able to drive for two days because we couldn’t get gas. I have to bear all the expenses of my family, but I have had no income for two days,” said an auto-rickshaw driver, Tarek Mia. “Even after waiting in line for hours, we are not getting gas.”
Another driver, Badsha Mia, said, “I have been standing in line with my vehicle all night without sleeping. Nobody can tell us when we will get gas. How can we support our families if we have to sit here day after day? We cannot drive because there is no gas.”
The affected drivers said the situation was similar at filling stations across Chattogram. While some stations had no gas at all, others had long queues of vehicles waiting for supplies.
Officials at several filling stations said they were unable to provide CNG because of inadequate gas supplies and that there was little they could do until the supply situation improved.
The gas shortage has also affected commuters, as fewer CNG-run auto-rickshaws are operating on the roads. Passengers said they were facing difficulties reaching their destinations and were having to spend more time on the road.
The road blockade caused severe traffic congestion in the Muradpur, Sholoshahar and Gate No. 2 areas from the morning.
Several hundred CNG auto-rickshaws were seen lined up in front of the Fossil Filling Station in Sholoshahar. Police went to the scene and attempted to persuade the drivers to clear the road.
Panchlaish Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Zahedul Islam said police teams were at the scene and were trying to remove the drivers from the road.
However, the drivers refused to leave until they received assurances that gas supplies would be restored.
