Ticking time bombs

This paper has run more than one story in the last two months on the proliferation of faulty and counterfeit CNG-conversion of petrol-driven vehicles in Dhaka. The fact that some 300,000 vehicles have been converted to CNG (compressed natural gas) since 2011 and incidents of CNG cylinders exploding at gas stations increasing, the time for action has arrived. We cannot forget that most of the mini buses plying city streets have also converted to CNG. It is disheartening to know that many sedan owners are not aware that many of the workshops doing the conversion are using substandard kits and some are dealing with counterfeit CNG cylinders. Hence at any given time of the day, we are exposed to serious damage to vehicles and passengers should something go wrong.

It is understandable that vehicle owners look around for the best deal in town when it comes to retrofitting their vehicle. Most vehicle owners, at least those involved in the transport business are unaware that every cylinder must be tested for fitness every five years. It is astounding that there are only 11 testing centres to cater for hundreds of thousands of CNG-run vehicles in all of Bangladesh (Dhaka, Gazipur, Chittagong and Sylhet). Even more alarming is the fact that it is not mandatory by law to check fitness on the cylinders.

The time has arrived to empower a government body to check the fitness of CNG-driven vehicles. It is essential that authorised testing centres be set up to cater to the huge number of vehicles plying the roads and also check the quality of CNG cylinders being imported into the country.