Major Terminal Fire Plunges Bangladesh into Deep Gas Crisis
Bangladesh is facing a severe gas crisis. A fire last week at a key liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal has sharply cut gas supply. Millions of households, industries, and power plants across the country are struggling.
The fire broke out at the Excelerate Energy terminal last Tuesday. This floating terminal is located in Maheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar. It usually provides 35 to 40 percent of Bangladesh’s daily gas supply. This amounts to about 1,050 million cubic feet per day. Since the fire, LNG supply has dropped below 500 million cubic feet.
The total daily gas supply is now less than 2,150 million cubic feet. Bangladesh’s daily demand is around 3,800 million cubic feet. This large gap is causing widespread problems. Power generation from gas has dropped by up to 1,500 megawatts. This means more electricity cuts for people.
Industrial factories are also suffering greatly. Rashidul Hasan, president of the Narsingdi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said production has fallen by 75 percent. In Gazipur, many factories have reduced work or kept workers idle. Sohel Rana, a director at Sadma Group, said gas pressure is too low for normal operations. Khorshed Alam from the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association said almost all mills are closed. He suggested the government announce the crisis duration for workers.
Households across the country are also without cooking gas. Residents in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur have faced gas shortages for nearly 20 days. Low-income families are now using firewood on clay stoves to cook. Car and auto-rickshaw drivers face long queues at CNG filling stations. Gas pressure there is very low.
Excelerate Energy has asked for about two weeks to fully fix the terminal. However, officials hope to restart an undamaged part of the terminal next week. This could add about 300 million cubic feet of gas per day. An expert team from the UK and the UAE is working on repairs. They are importing burnt electrical parts.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Aninda Islam Amit, said the government is watching the situation closely. He hopes gas supply will improve next week. He also said the government is working to find more gas within Bangladesh. This will reduce dependence on foreign imports.
Experts warn that Bangladesh’s gas sector is too reliant on imports. Maqbul-E-Elahi Chowdhury, a former energy regulator, said this crisis shows years of neglect. He stressed the need for more local gas exploration. He also suggested building a land-based terminal to prevent such disruptions in the future.
