Despite intensive efforts to restore a damaged floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, the nationwide gas shortage has persisted for nearly two weeks, disrupting household life, industrial production and electricity generation.
Officials had hoped supplies would begin improving this week, but the situation has remained largely unchanged. The prolonged shortage has left households struggling to cook, forced factories to scale back production and triggered long queues at compressed natural gas (CNG) filling stations.
Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla) Chairman Md Abdul Mannan said authorities had expected gas supplies to improve by Saturday, but repairs to the damaged terminal could not be completed as planned.
"The suffering caused by the gas crisis is distressing for us as well. We are making every effort to restore the damaged LNG terminal to full capacity as quickly as possible. However, the work is highly complex and sensitive, so it is taking time," he said.
Mannan said one of the two boilers damaged in the fire could resume operations this week. Repair work is nearly complete, with final testing underway, while efforts continue to restore the second boiler as soon as possible.
He said the government had taken emergency measures to expedite the repairs, including flying in spare parts from four to five countries and clearing them through customs on a priority basis. Engineers have been working around the clock to restore the terminal.
The crisis began after a fire caused by a short circuit at an Excelerate Energy-operated floating LNG terminal in Maheshkhali on July 21. The terminal has remained offline since the incident, significantly reducing gas supplies to the national grid.
According to energy sector sources, Bangladesh supplied around 2.65 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas to the national grid daily before the accident. The country's two floating LNG terminals together contributed between 900 million and 1.1 billion cubic feet a day. With one terminal shut down, supply has dropped by about 500 million cubic feet, reducing total daily supply to roughly 2.15 billion cubic feet.
Officials at the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources said Excelerate Energy has requested until August 10 to fully restore the damaged terminal. If one boiler resumes operation before then, an additional 300 million cubic feet of gas could be added to the national grid each day.
The shortage has hit residential consumers hardest. In many parts of Dhaka and elsewhere, gas remains unavailable for much of the day, forcing families to wait until late at night to cook whenever supply briefly returns.
Shahnaz Begum, a resident of Mohammadpur, said staying awake to cook late at night has disrupted her family's daily routine, from preparing children for school to managing household chores.
Asma Akter, who lives in Nobodoy Housing in Adabar, said gas stoves in the area had barely worked for several days. Residents in Mohammadpur and other parts of the capital reported similar problems.
Unable to rely on piped gas, many families have been buying meals from restaurants, cooking at relatives' homes or using wood-fired stoves on rooftops and balconies. Others have switched to LPG cylinders or induction cookers.
The shortage has also dealt a heavy blow to industries. Gas pressure has dropped sharply in industrial hubs such as Gazipur, Savar, Bhaluka, Narayanganj and Narsingdi. Some factories have suspended production, while others are operating at roughly half capacity. Increased load shedding has further forced many manufacturers to rely on diesel-powered generators, driving up production costs.
Lower gas supplies have also reduced electricity generation, leading to more frequent power outages.
Adding to consumers' woes, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has increased the price of a 12-kilogram LPG cylinder by Tk70, raising the retail price in the private sector to Tk1,598 from Tk1,528.
BERC said the adjustment reflected changes in international propane and butane prices, shipping costs, traders' premiums and the exchange rate. Under the revised formula, LPG now costs Tk133.15 per kilogram.
As the shortage continues, Bangladesh is also revisiting the possibility of importing natural gas from Myanmar through a cross-border pipeline.
The issue was discussed on Sunday during a meeting between Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Iqbal Hasan Mahmud and Myanmar Ambassador Kyaw Soe Moe at the Secretariat.
During the meeting, Bangladesh expressed interest in importing gas through a pipeline. The Myanmar ambassador responded positively and said the possibility of LNG exports would also be explored. The discussions have also revived an earlier proposal to build a gas pipeline linking Myanmar with Chittagong.