A severe gas crisis has gripped Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka, disrupting industrial production and household cooking. Long queues of vehicles were seen at CNG filling stations, where drivers waited for hours to get limited gas due to low pressure. Authorities said the shortage worsened after a technical fault at the Maheshkhali floating LNG terminal reduced national grid supply by about 450 million cubic feet per day. The daily demand now exceeds 3.8 billion cubic feet, while supply stands at only 2.7 billion, leaving a shortfall of over 1.1 billion cubic feet.

Titas Gas officials confirmed that the technical issue has halved LNG supply, affecting all categories of consumers. The company apologized and said repair work is underway. Experts and policymakers blamed years of inadequate gas exploration and overreliance on costly imported LNG for the crisis. They warned that reserves are depleting fast, with most gas fields nearing exhaustion. Critics accused the previous government of neglecting domestic exploration in favor of imports.

Energy specialists urged the government to reduce import dependence, accelerate onshore and offshore gas exploration, and improve efficiency to ensure long-term energy security.