The government is working to stabilise the country’s gas supply after a technical fault at a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) disrupted the national distribution network.
According to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, the malfunction has cut supply to the national grid by about 450 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd).
Gas delivery from the affected FSRU has been suspended, leading to low pressure across industrial plants, power stations, CNG filling stations and households in several regions.
The ministry said technical teams and relevant agencies are working around the clock to fix the fault. In the meantime, authorities are prioritising uninterrupted supply to emergency and critical sectors by managing the reduced volume as efficiently as possible.
Officials acknowledged that limited investment in domestic gas exploration and production in past years has heightened reliance on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG).
This dependence has left the national system vulnerable whenever import infrastructure faces operational setbacks.
To reduce that risk, the government has launched short‑, medium‑ and long‑term programmes to expand domestic output. Plans include drilling 100 wells in phases nationwide.
On Wednesday, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved a Tk7.29 billion project to drill three wells in Begumganj and Sunamganj.
The ministry added that exploration efforts are being accelerated both onshore and offshore through Production Sharing Contract (PSC) tenders, aimed at attracting investment from local and foreign companies.
It cautioned, however, that exploration, drilling, infrastructure development and commercial production require significant time, though the issue is being treated as a top priority.
As part of its broader energy security strategy, the government has also initiated measures such as inviting tenders for a fourth FSRU, assessing LNG imports from Malaysia via ISO tanks, reviewing pipeline options to bring Bhola gas to the mainland, drilling new wells and conducting workovers at existing fields, and diversifying import sources and supply infrastructure.
