A severe gas shortage is disrupting electricity generation across Bangladesh, increasing load shedding and affecting households, transport and industries. On Thursday, Dhaka faced average outages of one and a half to two hours, while areas outside the capital experienced power cuts lasting eight to 12 hours daily. The reported daily electricity shortfall exceeded 2,300 megawatts, alongside an estimated gas deficit of about 1.4 to 1.6 billion cubic feet.

According to the latest daily figures from Petrobangla and the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, gas demand stood at 3.8 to 4 billion cubic feet, against supply of only 2.38 to 2.4 billion cubic feet from production and imports. Domestic fields supplied 1.61 billion cubic feet, while regasified imported LNG added 770 to 800 million cubic feet to the national grid.

Gas-based power plants received 930 to 950 million cubic feet of gas, but officials said insufficient fuel has constrained output. Gas-fired plants with capacity of 12,500 megawatts are producing just over 5,000 megawatts, leaving about 7,000 megawatts of capacity idle. CNG users also reported long queues and low pressure.