Gas crisis leaves city commuters stranded as LNG terminal fault disrupts supply

A severe gas supply disruption triggered by a technical fault at a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Maheshkhali caused widespread hardship for commuters in Dhaka, with CNG-powered transport services facing major disruptions and fares soaring.

Private university student Likhon Haque waited for nearly 30 minutes at Banani yesterday noon in search of a CNG autorickshaw to travel to Banasree. 

However, drivers either refused to take the trip or demanded around 500 taka — almost double the usual fare.

The situation affected commuters across the capital, particularly those relying on CNG autorickshaws and ride-sharing services, as drivers struggled with limited fuel availability.

The crisis began after a technical fault occurred during a ship-to-ship LNG transfer operation at the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) operated by US-based Excelerate Energy off the coast of Maheshkhali on Tuesday. 

The incident reduced gas supply to the national grid by approximately 450 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd), nearly half of the country's imported LNG supply.

Bangladesh's daily gas demand currently stands at 3,800–4,000 mmcfd, while supply currently ranges between 2,500 and 2,800 mmcfd. Of the total supply, around 1,000 mmcfd comes from imported LNG, making the country heavily dependent on external sources.

The disruption has not only affected transportation but has also impacted households, industries, and power generation across the country.

CNG autorickshaw driver Matiur Rahman said he waited nearly five hours at a refuelling station on Wednesday but managed to purchase only 103 taka worth of gas, compared with the usual 250 taka per refill. As a result, he completed only one trip over the following 12 hours and has been reluctant to accept passengers travelling longer distances.

"I couldn't hand over yesterday's deposit [joma] to the owner yet, let alone my own earnings," Matiur said.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Division on Wednesday said the relevant authorities and the technical experts are working on a priority basis to solve the crisis.

It said it is closely monitoring the situation and expects gas supplies to improve once the technical fault is repaired. It also apologised to consumers for the temporary inconvenience.

The government authority acknowledged that while the immediate crisis was triggered by the LNG terminal malfunction, Bangladesh's increasing dependence on imported LNG has made the country's energy supply more vulnerable. 

They noted that inadequate investment in domestic gas exploration over the years has heightened reliance on imported fuel, exposing the energy sector to disruptions in import infrastructure.

To strengthen long-term energy security, the government is implementing a phased programme to drill 100 gas wells. It has also approved a 729 taka crore project to drill three new exploration wells in Begumganj and Sunamganj, while seeking both local and foreign investment in onshore and offshore gas exploration. Authorities are also considering establishing a fourth floating LNG terminal to improve the country's energy resilience.