Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir Acknowledges Industrial Impact of Gas Crisis and Outlines Supply Expansion Plans

Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has acknowledged that the ongoing national gas crisis is severely impacting industrial operations and manufacturing output across the country. Addressing the supply shortage, the Minister stated that the government is prioritizing new exploration efforts, increasing liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, and establishing additional Floating Storage and Regasification Units (FSRUs).

The Minister shared these remarks on Saturday in Sylhet following an agricultural workshop held in the Dhopadighirpar area.

According to government data, the country currently produces approximately 1,700 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of natural gas from domestic fields, supplemented by a maximum of 900 mmcfd provided by two existing FSRUs. This brings the total daily supply capacity to 2,600 mmcfd. Minister Muktadir noted that this volume is less than half of the total demand required to sustain power plants, existing factories, and pending industrial connections.

To address the shortfall, the Minister emphasized that the government has placed the highest priority on domestic gas exploration, a sector he noted had been neglected for years. While the Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (BAPEX) and international contractors are actively engaged in exploration, the Minister cautioned that it is not yet possible to confirm the exact timeline or volume of future gas discoveries.

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Efforts to bolster LNG imports are also underway, though the Minister explained that scaling up capacity is a complex, time-intensive process. The installation of new FSRUs, combined with the laying of subsea pipelines to connect to the national grid, requires approximately two years. As a short-term alternative, the government is exploring a proposal with Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas to transport LNG via larger vessels for ship-to-ship transfers to smaller tankers. However, the plan faces delays due to the limited availability of Petronas vessels, a matter currently being addressed by the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.

Explaining the recent deterioration in power and gas availability, the Minister cited technical failures at the nation’s two FSRU facilities, including a gas supply disruption and a boiler breakdown. He confirmed that one unit has resumed gas intake, while repair work on the boilers is ongoing. The Minister expressed optimism that once both FSRUs return to full operational capacity, the situation will stabilize to levels observed roughly one month ago.

Minister Muktadir maintained that while the government acknowledges the disruption to industrial productivity and daily life, the current crisis is a consequence of long-standing systemic issues inherited from previous administrations. He further noted that seasonal demand spikes during warmer months must be evaluated against historical electricity and load-shedding data to provide a balanced assessment of the current energy climate.