Dbarta24 Report — A major technical breakdown at a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Maheshkhali has plunged Bangladesh into a severe energy shortage, paralyzing daily life, crippling industrial output, and leaving households without cooking gas.
The national grid is currently suffering a massive deficit of 450 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) following a fire and mechanical malfunction at the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) operated by US-based Excelerate Energy.
Specialist engineers from the United Kingdom have arrived in the country to inspect and repair the damaged infrastructure, though officials have yet to confirm a definitive timeline for full restoration.
Grid Supplies Plunge 45% Below National Demand
Bangladesh routinely faces an energy deficit, receiving around 2,650 mmcfd against a total national demand of 3,800 mmcfd—a structural shortfall of roughly 30%.
However, the latest terminal outage has driven total grid supply down to a critical 2,200 mmcfd, creating a severe 45% overall shortfall nationwide.
The capital city has been disproportionately affected. Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, which oversees supply in Dhaka and surrounding regions, has seen its daily receipts drop sharply from 1,500 mmcfd to 1,200 mmcfd, against a total area demand of 1,900 mmcfd.
“A station requires a minimum pressure of 15 PSI to operate normally. Currently, many areas are receiving between 4 to 5 PSI, with some dropping below 2 PSI. Under these conditions, maintaining regular operations is virtually impossible.”
— Farhan Noor, General Secretary, CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association
Households Distressed and Factories Under Pressure
The shortage has severely affected residential areas across Dhaka, including Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, Kathalbagan, Mirpur, and Badda.
Gas pressure has remained dangerously low throughout daylight hours, forcing residents to cook late at night or turn to electric induction cookers.
In Mohammadpur, frustrated residents organized a human chain demonstration on Friday, protesting persistent utility disruptions and demanding an immediate freeze on utility bill collections for unrendered services.
The industrial sector is facing similar strain. Numerous textile and manufacturing plants across major industrial hubs have been forced to scale down operational capacity, with several facilities suspending production entirely due to insufficient gas pressure.
NATIONAL GAS SUPPLY BREAKDOWN (MMCFD)
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National Demand : [████████████████████] 3,800 MMCFD (100%)
Normal Supply : [█████████████░░░░░░░] 2,650 MMCFD (70%)
Current Supply : [███████████░░░░░░░░░] 2,200 MMCFD (55%)
Current Deficit : 1,600 MMCFD (45% Shortfall)
Aging Infrastructure Raises Long-Term Concerns
Imported LNG has been a cornerstone of Bangladesh’s energy strategy since 2018, reliant on two offshore FSRUs at Maheshkhali—one operated by Excelerate Energy (600 mmcfd capacity) and another by Summit Group (500 mmcfd capacity).
Together, they typically supply between 950 and 1,000 mmcfd to the national grid.
However, repeated technical glitches—this being the third major fault recorded this year alone—have raised serious questions about infrastructure reliability.
Former Petrobangla officials noted that Excelerate Energy’s offshore unit was already 11 years old when deployed under a 15-year contract eight years ago.
Pushing aging maritime units past their typical design life leaves the nation’s energy supply vulnerable to sudden disruptions.
According to the Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL), foreign specialists are conducting technical assessments to determine the repair timeline.
The Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources stated that necessary spare parts are available locally, and recovery efforts are underway to restore supply as quickly as possible.