Bangladesh’s ongoing natural gas deficit is hitting almost every major sector of the economy, forcing manufacturing plants to scale back production, aggravating power cuts, and leaving motorists waiting in long queues at compressed natural gas (CNG) stations.
While official projections suggest at least two years will be needed to stabilise energy supplies, falling domestic gas production alongside international market uncertainties and foreign exchange constraints raise questions about whether the situation will ease within that timeframe.
Data from Petrobangla reveals a severe supply-demand imbalance. Against a national daily demand of nearly 4,000 million cubic feet (mmcfd), total gas supply stood at just 2,336 million cubic feet. Domestic gas fields contributed 1,624 million cubic feet, while imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) provided 712 million cubic feet, leaving a daily shortfall of approximately 1,700 million cubic feet.
| Gas Sector Indicator | Figure / Metric |
| National Daily Gas Demand | ~4,000 mmcfd |
| Total Daily Gas Supply | 2,336 mmcfd |
| Domestic Gas Contribution | 1,624 mmcfd |
| Imported LNG Contribution | 712 mmcfd |
| Daily National Gas Deficit | ~1,700 mmcfd |
| Power Sector Gas Demand | 2,525 mmcfd |
| Power Sector Actual Supply | 700–900 mmcfd |
| Gas-based Power Capacity | >12,000 MW |
| Actual Gas-based Generation | <5,000 MW |
| Total Supply Drop (Jan 2020 to Present) | 832 mmcfd (26.2% decrease) |
| Completed Well Workovers (out of 150) | 30 completed (+140 mmcfd) |
| LNG Cargo Imports (Jan–Aug Present vs Past Year) | 68 cargoes (vs 71 cargoes) |
| LNG Cargo Imports (July–Aug Present vs Past Year) | 15 cargoes (vs 21 cargoes) |
| Proposed CMEC Terminal Capacity | 500–600 mmcfd |
| CMEC Terminal Target Commissioning | December 2028 |
| Furnace Oil Power Cost per Unit | Tk 21.51 |
The energy deficit is striking the power generation sector particularly hard. Gas-fired power plants, which require 2,525 million cubic feet per day, currently receive only 700 to 900 million cubic feet. Consequently, despite a grid capacity exceeding 12,000 megawatts for gas-fired generation, actual output remains below 5,000 megawatts.
Declining production from domestic gas fields remains the core driver of the structural shortage. Total daily gas supply dropped by 26.2 per cent over the past six and a half years, falling from 3,168 million cubic feet in January 2020 to 2,336 million cubic feet. To arrest the decline, authorities launched a 150-well drilling and workover programme, with 30 wells completed so far, injecting 140 million cubic feet per day back into the national grid. Additional deep-well exploration in Titas, Bakhrabad, Mobarakpur, and Sunetra is planned alongside 2D and 3D seismic surveys.
Imports have offer limited relief due to market volatility, geopolitical conflict in the Middle East, and foreign exchange reserves pressure. During the first eight months of the year, Bangladesh imported 68 LNG cargoes, compared to 71 during the same period in the previous year. A 16-day operational disruption at an offshore terminal due to a fire further constrained supply during peak summer demand.
A new 500 mmcfd offshore terminal at Maheshkhali, to be developed by Chinese firm CMEC, is scheduled for commissioning by December 2028. However, experts note that expanding import infrastructure alone will not resolve the crisis unless supported by long-term procurement contracts and stable foreign exchange allocations.
Energy analyst Mohammad Tamim emphasised the need for an integrated approach, suggesting the government balance expensive LNG imports with accelerated domestic exploration while temporarily increasing output from oil- and coal-fired power plants to cushion the broader economy.
