Illegal Gas Boosters Gain Ground

A growing online market for unauthorized gas boosters and compressors has emerged in Dhaka amid the city’s prolonged gas shortage. Sellers promote the small devices as a way to increase gas pressure at household stoves, using short videos and social media advertisements to attract customers. Titas Gas, however, says such devices have no legal approval for use on residential gas lines and can disrupt supply to other customers connected to the same pipeline while also creating safety risks.

September 13, Sunday: An online review found that nearly 50 Facebook pages are advertising and selling the devices. They are promoted under names such as “gas pressure booster,” “gas compressor” and “gas pump.” Sellers use cooking videos and demonstrations of stronger flames to attract buyers. Repair, exchange and up to one year of warranty or service are also being offered. The devices are also available on popular online shopping platforms.

Several sellers said they had been involved in the business for one and a half to two years. Prices generally range from Tk 1,500 to Tk 2,000, depending on the model.

According to the sellers, the devices cannot work when there is no gas in the pipeline at all. They can only be used when some gas is available, allowing the device to increase the pressure.

One seller, contacted as a potential customer, claimed to sell around 100 to 150 units a day, with a large share going to residential areas across Dhaka. He said the device works when there is at least some gas in the line, but is useless when the line is completely empty.

Sellers also said older models had problems with excessive noise and vibration. They have therefore shifted toward newer models that are claimed to reduce these problems.

Most of the devices are reportedly imported from China. However, sellers declined to provide details about the supply chain or the identities of the main importers, raising questions about how these products enter the country and whether they undergo any meaningful quality control.

A senior Titas Gas official said there is no legal authorization to use such boosters or compressors in the gas distribution system. He said unauthorized devices can interfere with gas supply to other customers connected to the same pipeline and that action can be taken against users.

The official said Titas has long detected the use of large compressors in industrial facilities and has seized such equipment during various drives. However, he could not immediately provide a specific figure for the number of compressors seized from residential customers.

He also said the use of such devices among residential customers has become more visible on social media recently. Titas is planning enforcement operations against the practice.

Titas acknowledges that action against individual users alone will not fully solve the problem. The issue has therefore been communicated to the ministry through the relevant energy division, with a proposal to stop the import of such devices into Bangladesh.

According to the Titas official, it would be practically difficult to identify and take action against every individual user as long as the products remain readily available in the market. Stopping imports at the source is therefore essential.

The biggest concern, according to Titas, is disruption to the normal gas distribution system. When one customer uses a booster, other customers connected to the same line may receive less gas. Titas also has no responsibility for the quality control of these devices, creating additional safety concerns.

Sellers, meanwhile, claimed that they had not received reports of any major accident caused by their products. They did acknowledge complaints from some customers that the devices malfunctioned when water accumulated in the gas line or when electricity voltage fluctuated.

Titas said this year’s new gas marketing rules directly classify the use of unauthorized equipment or boosters as an offence. While previous provisions allowed fines in such cases, the new rules define the payment as compensation and specify the process for determining and collecting it.

The Titas official said compressors continue to be seized during regular enforcement drives. Under the new rules, authorities can take direct action against customers found using unauthorized equipment.

Despite the legal restrictions, some customers struggling with gas shortages see these devices as a quick solution. The market for such unauthorized technology is expanding largely because of this demand.

The broader picture shows that prolonged gas shortages are driving consumers toward risky technological alternatives. With these devices being sold with limited oversight across social media and online marketplaces, enforcement at the user level alone is unlikely to contain the trend.

Experts believe effective controls at the import stage, combined with coordinated action involving online marketplaces, will be necessary to curb the sale of these devices. At the same time, unless the underlying gas supply shortage is addressed, demand for unauthorized and potentially unsafe alternatives is likely to continue.
//DBTech/NAP/CVO/MIST//