The government on Monday decided to allow compressed natural gas refuelling stations open round the clock for nine days from October 11 on the occasion of Eid Ul Azha.
‘The CNG stations will be kept open round the clock in October 11-19,’ communications minister Obaidul Quader told reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting at the Railway Bhaban.
At present, the CNG refuelling stations are kept shut for four hours, from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, a day because of gas shortage.
Energy division officials said that they already approved a proposal made by Petrobangla on 24-hours operation of CNG stations.
Around 80 per cent vehicles on Dhaka-Chittagong high ways and other major highways from the capital are running on the CNG, they said, adding that with smooth supply of CNG the vehicles would be able to bear extra pressure of Eid holidaymakers.
On the occasion of Eid, pressure on railways, motorised vehicles and vessels increases as a large number of people visit country homes during the Eid.
Obaidul Quader said that the meeting decided not to allow makeshift markets of sacrificing animals on roads and sideways of the highways in a bid to facilitate smooth movement of transports during the festival.
Officials attending the meeting said that the garment owners would be asked to announce holidays on different days.
The meeting asked the representatives of home ministry to take measures for checking extortion and harassment to the cattle traders.
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority was asked to operate three vigilance teams to stop charging higher fare by the transport operators.
To check fatal accidents, the meeting decided to prevent the transport operators from operating rundown buses on the highway.
Quader said that if Mawa-Kaorakandi ferry ghat service would not improve during the Eid-ul-Azha, well-conditioned highways would not able to lessen the sufferings of the homebound people.
Railways minister Mohammad Mazibul Hoque, shipping minister Shahjahan Khan and state minister for home Shamsul Haque Tuku were present.
-With New Age input
