Policy shift necessary to resolve gas crisis
We are concerned about the acute gas crisis that has hit the country in recent times. While it has severely affected the industrial sector, the situation is also dire for households and filling stations in Dhaka and across the country, causing public sufferings. The condition of the industrial sector is particularly alarming, with textile and other factories being forced to reduce their production. The crisis is said to be increasingly severe in Gazipur, Narayanganj, Savar, Chattogram and Narsingdi.
Currently, daily gas deficit in the country is approximately 1.35 billion cubic feet, with industries receiving 30 percent less gas than their demand. Industry owners say they are having to run factories at additional costs for using alternative energy sources. If the situation persists, industrial production will face a severe crisis, potentially leading to many factory shutdowns. And if factories close or cannot pay salaries, a large number of workers may lose their income.
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Among the affected industries, the textile sector is perhaps the most vulnerable, with its production down by 65 percent compared to the capacity. In many factories, gas pressure remains low or absent throughout the day, hindering production, while reliance on diesel instead of gas only inflates production costs. In Chattogram, the production of steel, cement, and glass is also being hampered by the gas crisis. Gas-based power plants are also struggling to generate electricity due to supply shortages. These plants require 1.2 billion cubic feet of gas daily to maintain normal electricity supply in the country, but they are currently receiving only about 920 million cubic feet.
The question is: why has the situation reached this critical point? Clearly, the previous government's flawed energy policy is to blame. The Awami League government focused heavily on importing LNG while overlooking exploration of domestic gas reserves, despite its significant potential. On the one hand, this negligence has led to reduced gas production; on the other hand, the demand for gas has increased, culminating in this acute crisis. Even importing adequate LNG has become difficult due to the dollar crisis. Many factories have already closed down due to these problems, and many owners are also contemplating keeping their operations shut, as remaining open leads only to losses.
Therefore, the government must urgently devise a solution to ensure adequate gas supply to the industries and households. For a long-term resolution, it needs to revise the energy policy, prioritising the exploration of domestic gas sources and reducing its over-dependence on imports.
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