Inadequate gas supply has been forcing Farzana Akter and Rabiul Islam to eat at restaurants every morning for two weeks.

The gas stove at their home near 60-Feet Road in the capital's Agargaon only works for around two hours after 4:00pm, and Farzana, a nurse at a government hospital, tries to cook within that period.

For a few hours after midnight, the gas supply becomes normal, and the couple often stays awake to cook their dinner at those hours.

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 "This has affected everything, including my work, because I feel drowsy all the time," Farzana says.

Since December 1, the daily supply of natural gas has hovered around 2,700 mmcfd against a demand, combining household and industrial users, of some 3,800 mmcfd, according to Petrobangla data.

Daily life in many neighbourhoods of Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Gazipur cities is being disrupted by the cooking gas shortage.

In the first four days of this month, the supply dropped even further as one of the two floating storage and regasification units (FSRU) in Moheshkhali, Cox's Bazar, was out of commission for maintenance work.

The Daily Star talked to at least 15 residents of different areas in Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Jigatola, Nakhalpara, Green Road, Uttara, Chakbazar, Nazimuddin Road, Gendaria, Mogbazar, Kazipara, Banasree, and Khilgaon who said the gas crisis began in December and worsened in recent weeks.

"I pay Tk 1,080 a month for gas, but what do I get? I have to use the electric stove every day and pay more for electricity," said Abdur Rahman Dipu, a resident of  Kathalbagan area.

Shahnewaz Parvez, managing director of Titas Gas Distribution and Transmission PLC, said the supply often suffers disruptions when temperature drops in winter because gas condensates in the pipelines.

Maintenance work also lowered the supply, he said, adding that the FSRU is functioning now, but voids within the pipelines will have to be filled first before the supply improves. "It will increase within this week," he said.

In the months of December and January, less LNG is imported compared to the rest of the year because the demand at power plants falls, Shahnewaz said.

PRODUCTION SUFFERS

M Jamaluddin, managing director of Jamaluddin Group, which owns a knitwear factory in Narayanganj, said he had cut production by almost a third.

The burners require gas pressure at 15 psi [pound per square inch], but it often falls to 2 or 3 psi.

"Gas pressure fluctuates a lot that results in waste. All the fabric in the dyeing machines becomes useless when this happens," he said.

Mohammad Hatem, president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said the current situation was unacceptable.

Five other factory owners in Gazipur and Narayanganj also expressed disappointment.

"We are struggling a lot," said a ceramic factory owner in Sreepur, Gazipur. "If gas pressure fluctuates, production stops."

THE POOR SUFFER

This newspaper spent three hours in Bhasantek from 12:00pm to 3:00pm on Sunday and found that nobody was able to light their gas stoves.

Residents of Bhasantek Rehabilitation Project -- where the low-income people live in one room flats -- say they were in serious trouble because they cannot afford to eat out.

"We pay a monthly rent of Tk 3,000. But we are having to spend more to be able to cook," said Meghla Akter, a resident of the project. "We pay for the gas but do not get it."

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Residents said they can cook only from 3:00am-6:00am. Sometimes on weekends and holidays, they get gas for one or two hours.

Toma Sarker said, "Our lifestyle has changed due to the gas crisis. We have to wake up at midnight to cook."

Uttara Sector-11 resident Sakhawat Hossain Mukter said they faced a gas crisis every winter, but it was unbearable now.