Bangladesh's Gas Crisis Brings Industry and Power Cuts to Standstill
Bangladesh's natural gas crisis has reached a critical point, forcing the closure of six major fertiliser factories and triggering widespread power cuts. The country, which was once self-sufficient in natural gas, is now heavily reliant on imports from Qatar.
The crisis began in 2025 when production declined due to underinvestment in ageing fields and exploration. The US-Iran war further exacerbated the situation by disrupting LNG shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
'Only the skeleton of the factory remains,' said Md Bazlur Rashid, a former employee of the Ashuganj fertiliser factory, which closed in March 2025. 'It has lost its life.'
The government has ordered shopping malls to close an hour earlier as part of electricity-saving measures and is investing in terminals to expand imports.