Full Breakdown
Bangladesh’s Energy Crisis Deepens as Global LNG Disruptions Hit Dhaka
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Widespread Blackouts and Gas Shortages in the Capital
Dhaka, a metropolis of nearly 40 million residents, is experiencing daily blackouts and intermittent piped-gas supply. Residents such as Parvin Akter must wait until midnight to cook, while factories run costly generators or halt production. The government ordered shops and markets to close by 8 p.m. and illuminated billboards to switch off by 7 p.m., with exemptions for hospitals, pharmacies, food shops and emergency services.
Background & Context
The crisis follows a sharp contraction in liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports after the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran six months ago. Disruption of oil and gas exports through the Strait of Hormuz and fighting in the Red Sea pushed Asian spot LNG prices from about $10 to $30 per MMBtu. Bangladesh, which imports more than 40 % of its electricity from LNG, previously relied on Qatar for 95 % of those imports. Between July and August, LNG imports fell by 83 %.
Timeline
Data & Statistics
- Daily gas demand: 107–113 million m³ (3.8–4 billion ft³).
- Available supply: roughly 74 million m³, creating a shortfall of about 33–39 million m³.
- National load-shedding peaked at over 3,000 MW.
- More than 40 % of electricity generation depends on imported LNG.
- A BKMEA survey found 55 % of knitwear factories had buyers cancel or cut orders, and 78 % partially halted production since late August.
Household Impact
Residents describe daily life as a series of calculations about when gas will be strong enough to cook or how long a fan can run. Ahmed, a 50-year-old electrical-workshop owner, worries about safety on dark streets.
Industrial Impact
Energy-intensive sectors—including textiles, ceramics, glass, steel, transport and agriculture—are operating at reduced capacity. Khondaker Golam Moazzem, research director at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, notes that “almost all economic activities have been operating at significantly lower levels of their usable capacity because of the energy crisis.” Garment factories face order cancellations; one owner, Alvi Islam, had to source fabric from China after a boiler failure, leading a buyer to cut a 50,000-piece order to 40,000.
Official Statements & Responses
The government issued a directive to repair the non-functional floating LNG terminal, and some business owners report modest improvements in gas deliveries in recent days.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I don’t want anything extraordinary from the government; I want to turn on the stove and find gas, I want to switch on the light and find electricity, I want clean water from the tap,” — Halder
- “Almost all economic activities have been operating at significantly lower levels of their usable capacity because of the energy crisis,” — Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Centre for Policy Dialogue
- “On ?top of that, we’ve had to spend extra money on diesel just to keep the factory running,” — Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, garment industry executive
What’s Next
The repair directive aims to restore the floating LNG terminal’s capacity, which could ease spot-market pressure if successful. Industry groups continue to monitor gas deliveries, and any further escalation of the Middle-East conflict could exacerbate price spikes and supply constraints.