Chattogram city residents have been hit hard by a severe gas crisis for around a month.

Residents in different areas, including Askar Dighir Par, Khulshi, Jamal Khan, Dewanji Pukur Par, Dewan Bazar, Hem Sen Lane, Shulak Bahar, Ghat Farhadbegh, Bakalia, and Chawkbazar, have been complaining about interrupted gas supply from early morning till afternoon since late October.

The port city dwellers have been facing a gas crisis every year between November and February for over a decade, said Shyamol Dhar of Askar Dighir Par area.

"I cannot cook for my two-year-old baby in the morning as gas supply stops at dawn and does not resume until around 4:00pm," said Afsana Binte Rashid, a resident of the same area.

"My husband has to buy breakfast from a restaurant every day for around a month," she added.

Sharmila Rudra of Khulshi area said while she uses a rice cooker as an alternative, many of her neighbours have to use kerosene stoves for cooking.

According to Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company (KGDC) sources, due to a shortage of gas supply from the LNG terminal at Moheshkhali in Cox's Bazar, the daily allocation for Chattogram has been reduced from 320 mmcf to 280 mmcf.

Moreover, two fertiliser factories in Chattogram -- Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited and Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company Limited -- are now fully operational to meet the demand for fertilisers in the agriculture sector this season.

As the KGDC has to supply gas to these factories for uninterrupted production, household supplies are being disrupted during winter months, said sources.

Of the daily allocation of 280 mmcf of gas, two fertiliser factories are supplied 75 mmcf, power plants are supplied 33 mmcf, CNG-refueling stations are supplied 12 mmcf of gas, and the rest to households and industries.

Contacted, Gautam Chandra Kundu, general manager (distribution) of KGDC, said the crisis occurred as one of the two LNG terminals in Moheshkhali is temporarily inoperative for maintenance.

"The crisis will be mitigated after the work is completed," he said.