Staff Reporter :
The acute gas crisis has severely disrupted both domestic and industrial sectors in recent times, leaving people frustrated with no sign of improvement. Households have reported little to no gas supply throughout the day and night.
Residents across various parts of the capital have voiced their distress over the worsening gas crisis and urged the relevant authorities to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
In Mirpur, Jahanara Begum expressed her frustration, stating, “For the past week, our burners have barely ignited. Even when gas is available, the pressure is so low that cooking takes twice as long.”
Similar complaints have emerged from Bangshal, where families have resorted to buying food from local restaurants. “We have no choice but to purchase meals from outside. There is no gas to cook at home,” said Razia Sultana.
In Shantinagar and Farm Gate, residents reported that gas supply often resumes only after midnight.
“Sometimes, I stay up until 1 or 2 am just to cook for the next day,” shared Mita Rahman, a homemaker from Rayerbazar. “But even that is unreliable.
The gas can stop mid-cooking, leaving us with half-cooked meals,” she added.
The crisis is not limited to households. Small to large industries and eateries have reported significant losses.
According to industry insiders, Bangladesh’s textile sector in 2024 faced a significant setback, reporting a 30 per cent decline in production across major industrial zones, including Narayanganj, Savar, Ashulia, Gazipur, and Narsingdi, due to the gas crisis.
Around 700 textile factories, according to the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), are struggling to operate due to gas pressures as low as 0-2 PSI, far below the required 10-15 PSI necessary for uninterrupted production.
This inadequate supply has forced many factories to halt operations intermittently, resulting in substantial production losses.
The Ready-Made Garments (RMG) sector is also grappling with reduced operational hours and temporary shutdowns, compounding the strain on industrial output.
Similarly, steel and ceramic manufacturers have reported production declines of nearly 50 per cent, with industry leaders cautioning that widespread factory closures could follow if the situation persists.
The gas shortage has already begun to weigh heavily on export earnings and deter investment. Industrial growth rates have mirrored this trend, dropping from 10.29 per cent in FY 2020-21 to 6.66 per cent in FY 2023-24, and further declining to 3.98 per cent during the April-June quarter of last year.
“Our factories are running on short production due to extremely low gas pressure,” Mohammad Khorshed Alam, Director of BTMA, told the media.
Meanwhile, many businesses and households have shifted to electric stoves or alternative fuel sources to continue operations. However, for lower-income families, purchasing new appliances is not feasible.
“We can’t afford electric stoves or LPG cylinders,” said Abdul Karim, a vendor from Mohammadpur. “Our income is limited, and now we’re spending more on buying ready-made food,” he said.
Petrobangla sources stated that the root cause of the crisis lies in the temporary suspension of operations at a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU).
The station underwent urgent repairs from 1 to 4 January, resulting in a countrywide low-pressure gas supply.
Engineer Md Rafiqul Islam, Director of Operations at Petrobangla, assured the media that the situation is expected to improve.
“We anticipate a gradual increase in gas supply by Saturday evening. The resumption of one LNG terminal is expected to add 210 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd),” he stated.
He also acknowledged that the gas crisis would continue until new shipments arrive to bridge the gap.
“Even with both terminals operational, we are still 320 mmcfd short of the required supply. The crisis will not be fully resolved until we secure more LNG cargo shipments,” he added.
Currently, the country’s two LNG terminals supply approximately 1,000-1,100 mmcfd of gas, against a national demand of 2,900 mmcfd.
Officials indicated that ten LNG cargoes are required for January, but only seven have been confirmed so far.
While the government works on long-term solutions, residents remain sceptical. “We have heard promises before, but little has changed,” said Nazmul Huda from Agargaon. “We hope this time the situation genuinely improves.”
