Gas emission from soil observed at bridge construction site in Hatiya, Noakhali

PNN News Desk: Dhaka

In Hatiya, a coastal sub-district of Noakhali, gas has been observed emerging from deep layers of soil during the preparatory work for a bridge construction. To avoid potential risks, the gas emission has been temporarily halted. The incident occurred on Friday (January 9) afternoon near a canal beside Vairab Bazar in Char King Union of Hatiya Upazila. News of the incident sparked curiosity and concern among the local population.

It has been learned that the bridge, 45 meters long, is planned under a development project financed by the World Bank. The contract for the project was awarded to Saiful Islam Sheikh, and supervision is handled by the Hatiya Upazila Local Government Engineering Department (LGED).

On Thursday afternoon, as part of preliminary construction steps, a soil test was conducted at a depth of approximately 112 feet. After the soil test was completed and the workers had left, gas was unexpectedly seen emerging from the pit on Friday afternoon. When some locals tried to ignite it, flames were observed. Many people gathered at the site to witness the scene.

Local resident Zillur Rahman said, “We saw the fire with our own eyes. Whether this is actually gas needs to be tested. Everyone is concerned about the situation.”

Hatiya Upazila Engineer Emdadul Haque confirmed the incident and stated that the gas emission is being taken seriously. For safety reasons, the pit has been temporarily sealed, and Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX) will be notified immediately.

Hatiya Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Md. Alauddin said, “We are aware of the incident. Necessary measures are being taken, and relevant departments are being consulted to determine the actual cause.” The local administration is now awaiting examination by the relevant expert organization to confirm whether the source is natural gas.