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Thousands of motorists in the capital are enduring hours-long waits at CNG filling stations as Bangladesh grapples with a severe gas shortage triggered by a technical fault at one of its two floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals.
The disruption has significantly reduced gas supplies to the national grid, leaving many CNG stations unable to operate normally and causing widespread hardship for households, industries and power plants.
According to Petrobangla officials, the shutdown of the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), operated by Excelerate Energy off Moheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar, has cut around 450 million cubic feet of gas per day—about 17% of the country’s total supply.
As a result, daily gas supply has dropped to around 2,170 million cubic feet against an estimated demand of nearly 3,800 million cubic feet, leaving the country able to meet only about 57% of its gas demand.
The impact has been particularly severe in Dhaka, where long queues have formed outside CNG filling stations in areas including Tejgaon, Moghbazar, Mirpur, Paribagh, Malibagh, Motijheel and Badda. Many stations have suspended sales after running out of gas, while others are operating with extremely low pressure.
Drivers report waiting anywhere from two to seven hours, with some leaving their vehicles overnight in hopes of refuelling.
The shortage has disrupted public transport as CNG-powered auto-rickshaws, taxis and private vehicles struggle to refuel. Drivers say the lengthy waits are reducing their daily earnings and forcing them to make fewer trips, causing inconvenience for commuters across the capital.
Beyond transportation, the reduced gas supply has affected households, many of which are experiencing low gas pressure that makes cooking difficult. Industrial production and gas-fired power plants have also been impacted, raising concerns over manufacturing output and electricity generation if the disruption continues.
Energy officials said engineers, including foreign technical experts, are inspecting the faulty LNG terminal to determine the cause of the malfunction and complete repairs as quickly as possible.
Until normal operations resume, available gas is being prioritised for essential services and critical sectors.
Authorities have not yet announced a firm timeline for the full restoration of supplies.
