Near-normal gas supply to factories from today: PM

Government Expects Industrial Gas Supply to Improve From Tuesday Evening

Thebangladaily.com – Bangladesh’s factories could see gas availability return close to the levels experienced a month to six weeks ago from Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said, offering a measure of relief to businesses dealing with recent energy disruptions.

The Prime Minister discussed the situation during a three-hour exchange of views with business leaders and media representatives at his office in the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday. The meeting focused on the country’s power and energy constraints, the government’s response plans, and the need for stability while those measures are carried out.

Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu later briefed journalists on the discussions.

Call for Stability During Energy Recovery Efforts

Tarique Rahman appealed to business representatives, the media and other stakeholders to support the government’s planned work in the energy sector. He said governments should have the opportunity to carry out their programmes during their time in office, while voters retain the right to decide who will lead the country at the appropriate time.

The people will decide at the appropriate time whom they want to entrust with running the government. But whichever government is in office at a given time should be allowed to complete its planned work.

His remarks placed the immediate supply crisis within a broader effort to restore reliability in power and energy services. He described the challenges as longstanding and inherited, saying a complete solution could not realistically be achieved within six months or even a year.

Still, he said the government has already identified the main difficulties, developed plans and moved into the implementation phase. The administration is working against defined timelines with the aim of bringing greater normalcy to electricity and gas supply.

But we have identified the problems, prepared plans and are now at the stage of implementing those plans.

For manufacturers, a steadier gas supply is especially important because energy interruptions can affect production schedules and business operations. Tarique Rahman said progress in implementing the government’s plans would benefit trade, commerce and the wider economy.

Floating LNG Terminal Accident Affected Supply

The Prime Minister linked the recent gas shortage to an accident involving one of Bangladesh’s two floating liquefied natural gas terminals. The disruption affected industrial users as well as other sectors dependent on the national gas system.

He said the problem caused by the accident has now been resolved, creating the basis for an improvement in supplies. The government expects industrial gas availability to move closer to the level seen one to one-and-a-half months earlier from Tuesday evening.

We hope, Insha-Allah, from Tuesday evening the gas supply will return to something like the level it was at one to one and a half months ago.

The expected improvement is described as a return to near-normal conditions rather than a claim that every energy-sector challenge has ended. The government’s wider roadmap remains focused on addressing supply gaps and improving the resilience of the gas system over time.

Third LNG Terminal Targeted for 2027

Among the measures under way is a plan to establish a third floating LNG terminal. Tarique Rahman said the additional facility is intended to help address the country’s supply shortfall and strengthen the national gas network.

Preparatory work for another terminal under a government-to-government arrangement has largely been completed during the past month, he said. Work on the project is expected to begin soon.

The government expects the third terminal to be linked to the national gas supply system by December 2027. Until then, the effectiveness of repairs, existing infrastructure and the implementation of short-term plans will remain central to efforts to stabilize gas availability.

Adding capacity through another floating terminal is part of a longer-term approach, while the anticipated recovery from Tuesday evening addresses the more immediate pressure faced by industrial consumers. The distinction matters for businesses: restoration after a specific disruption can improve current operations, but infrastructure expansion is aimed at reducing future supply constraints.

Power Sector Challenges Also Remain

State Minister for Power and Energy Aninda Islam Amit gave a presentation at the meeting titled “Challenges and Future Roadmap of Bangladesh’s Power and Energy Sector.” The presentation formed part of the government’s engagement with business leaders and media representatives on the scale of the sector’s difficulties and the planned response.

Tarique Rahman said the problems affecting the power sector are also not new. His comments indicated that the government views electricity and gas challenges as connected parts of a wider energy agenda rather than as isolated incidents.

The Prime Minister’s message to businesses was that the government has set out a course of action and needs cooperation while it works through both the immediate gas disruption and longer-running power and energy issues. The projected improvement in industrial gas supply from Tuesday evening will be an early test of that effort, while the planned LNG terminal expansion points to a longer timetable extending to late 2027.