CNG filling stations have been operating in the transport sector flouting rules and regulations for long many years. As a result, incidents of cylinder explosions causing deaths and injuries are happening frequently.
Although most of the reports mark these as accidents, in reality they occur mainly due to negligence or failure to comply with safety rules.
According to information from Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL), there are 110 CNG stations in Dhaka city alone. Savar, the outskirts of the capital city, has 32 stations. Outside the capital, Gazipur has 55, Chattogram 65, and other districts together have 383 CNG stations.
District-based statistics show that Cumilla has the highest number of 45 CNG stations. Sylhet has 35, Narayanganj 30. Narsingdi has 19, Bogura 18, Tangail 15, Mymensingh 14 and Feni 12 stations. Moulvibazar and Manikganj each has 11. On the other hand, Rajshahi and Jamalpur have the fewest—just one each. Pabna, Kishoreganj and Chandpur have six each, Sunamganj and Munshiganj four each, Sirajganj three, Noakhali seven, Lakshmipur two, Brahmanbaria five, and Habiganj eight stations.
Experts say almost all the CNG filling stations operating without complying with rules pose severe safety risks. The danger is not only at the stations, but also in CNG-powered vehicles plying the roads. Most of the vehicles, which used to transport people, use substandard cylinders. Moreover, fitness certificates are often issued casually, allowing unfit vehicles ply the roads—becoming a major cause of accidents.
Experts also point out that beyond RPGCL-registered workshops, numerous unauthorised workshops across the country are engaged in CNG conversion, further increasing road risks. While speaking with several owners and employees of unauthorised workshops in Uttara, Baridhara, and Malibagh in Dhaka it was revealed that compared to licensed stations, these workshops convert vehicles at a cheap rate. They usually operate, to the utter surprise of many, with trade licences and years of practical experience only.
Former Director (Operations) of BRTA, Lokman Hossain Molla, told the Bangladesh Post that in issuing fitness certificates, BRTA considers gas cylinders as a vital component. Vehicles with expired cylinders are not granted fitness certificate. However, he added that since such certificates are not integrated online, some transport owners produce fake copies from shops to obtain fitness permits. He underscored this lacuna which the police, the Department of Explosives, and RPGCL must strictly monitor over.
In recent years, explosions and fires at CNG filling stations have increased alarmingly. Many vehicles have been damaged, while drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and station workers have lost their lives. On-site visits reveal that outdated and worn-out equipment, violation of safety regulations, and lack of regular inspections are escalating accident risks. Furthermore, the illegal business of supplying CNG to factories and commercial establishments through cylinders mounted on engine-driven vans and three-wheelers is also a major cause of accidents.
According to the CNG Rules, 2005, every station must display UN-recommended safety labels related to hazardous materials, along with the licensee’s name and licence number on the premises. The rules also prohibit hiring intoxicated persons and mandate proper maintenance of safety and operational equipment. Additionally, all equipment must be inspected every two years by qualified personnel.
In reality, most stations do not comply with these rules. Safety labels, licensing details, and routine inspections are often done away with.
Chief Explosives Inspector Hayat Md Firoz did not respond to an official email seeking comment, but Explosives Inspector (Dhaka), Dr Md Asadul Islam, told the Bangladesh Post that despite manpower shortage, regular drives are conducted. He said had the stations operated under regulations, accident risks would have declined significantly, and currently all explosive licences are processed online. He added that uncontrolled CNG conversions in workshops and illegal gas sales at some stations are primary causes of accident, and licences will be revoked if complaints are proven.
According to Fire Service data, in the last four years, 459 incidents of gas cylinder or boiler explosions occurred in Bangladesh, killing 19 people and injuring many. Yet, in most cases, no case records were published, nor were the offenders prosecuted.
As per CNG Rules, 2005, cylinders must undergo compulsory retest every five years, maximum pressure must be regulated, adequate safety staff ensured, and personal protective gear used. In practice, however, most stations ignore these rules. Experts claim 80% of cylinders are not regularly tested.
RPGCL’s latest data show 525 CNG filling stations are currently in operation. Recently, cylinder explosion incidents have been reported in various areas. Many stations are being run by unskilled staff without RPGCL training, and workers supply gas without helmets, safety boots, goggles, or gloves—leading to frequent accidents and casualties among customers and staff. Although RPGCL requires training and protective gear for safe operations, in practice no institutions follow these instructions.
Field visits to Dhaka, Mymensingh, Chandpur, Savar, Cumilla, Gazipur and Narsingdi revealed that BPC guidelines on station distance and government directives were being flouted when CNG stations are set up. RPGCL inspections also revealed irregularities in company operations, causing concern among officials.
A recent RPGCL inspection of several CNG stations in Dhaka—including Ananta Energy Resources Ltd and Progoti CNG Ltd at Progoti Sarani, Navana CNG Ltd at Dainik Bangla intersection, Pinnacle Power Ltd at Kuril Bishwa Road, Navana CNG Ltd at Darus Salam, Dhaka CNG Ltd at Senpara, and Sonar Bangla CNG Ltd at Bakshibazar—found various irregularities. The report stated that workers supplying gas used no protective gear, and none had received RPGCL-approved training, leaving them half-baked for emergencies. Rust was found in cascade storage cylinders, which are supposed to be tested every five years, but were not. Instead, CNG was stored in these cylinders in violation of safety rules, risking major accidents.
The RPGCL report confirmed that stations are operating while blatantly ignoring regulations, and monitoring is largely superficial.
Speaking to the Bangladesh Post, workers revealed that they have been employed for years on minimal wages with only basic meter-reading knowledge. They had received no RPGCL training and lacked basic safety awareness.
Mahbub Alam, involved in the profession for 12 years, told this reporter: “If you can recognise English numbers, you can survive in this profession.” He added that workers earn Tk 8,000–10,000 monthly for eight hours of work daily, plus Tk 6,000–7,000 in tips from transport owners—bare enough to support their families.
In 2009, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources issued a circular prohibiting new CNG stations on specified highways. The order stated the ban would remain until further notice. Sixteen years on, no amendment or withdrawal has been issued. Yet, many influential persons have since opened new stations or obtained new gas connections for existing petrol pumps in violation of the rules, and are still operating. As a result, long queues of CNG vehicles have become common in Dhaka and other major roads, contributing to frequent traffic jams.
Several RPGCL officials (who wished to remain anonymous) told the Bangladesh Post that stations setup after 2009 are under court rulings, and the authority to approve new stations rests entirely with the ministry. They said with limited manpower they can inspect only about 50 stations a year, and legal complexities often restrict necessary actions.
Officials also claim that most businessmen in this sector are influential, and strict action by the Department of Explosives against faulty stations could significantly reduce accidents. They further complain that insufficient manpower and lack of authority prevent RPGCL from effectively addressing the disorder in this sector.
