A severe gas shortage across Dhaka has left many households struggling to cook, forcing residents to turn to electric stoves, firewood and, increasingly, local hotels and restaurants for their daily meals.

The disruption has been particularly noticeable in the morning, when residents who would normally prepare breakfast at home are instead queuing at shops selling paratha, eggs, lentils and other inexpensive breakfast items. The situation is adding to household expenses and, according to some residents, causing discomfort after repeated consumption of food prepared outside the home.

At around 7.30am on Tuesday, a hotel in Block F of Banasree was crowded with customers. Some were eating breakfast at the premises, while others waited to collect takeaway orders before heading to work.

Selim, an employee of a private company, said he had been eating breakfast at hotels for nearly two weeks because of the gas shortage.

“Breakfast used to be prepared at home, but there is now no practical way to cook in the morning,” he said. “We are using an electric stove for lunch and dinner, but relying on hotels for breakfast. This has increased our expenses, and eating outside regularly has also caused stomach problems.”

Another customer, Abdullah, said his family had previously prepared breakfast at home every morning. Although they have an electric stove, he said they often avoid using it in the morning because preparing breakfast before work has become inconvenient.

Akbar, who works alongside his wife, said the gas shortage had disrupted their entire daily routine. Previously, the couple would prepare breakfast at home before leaving for work and take lunch with them. Now, they buy breakfast from a nearby hotel and cook dinner on an electric stove after returning home.

The additional expense is becoming a concern. Akbar said four parathas, eggs and fried lentils cost about Tk120, while adding other items can push the bill to around Tk200. He also questioned whether regularly eating outside food was as hygienic as preparing meals at home.

For families with children, the problem is proving even more difficult.

Manzur Rahman, who lives with his wife and child in a five-member household, said they had been unable to prepare breakfast at home for around two weeks. Regularly eating restaurant food had caused stomach problems among family members, while his children were reluctant to eat it.

Crisis extends across Dhaka

The problem is not confined to Banasree. Residents in Badda, Rampura, Malibagh, Khilgaon, Dhanmondi, Mirpur and Uttara have also reported severe shortages among households connected to the Titas gas network.

Some households have turned to electric stoves as an alternative. Others, particularly those with limited incomes, are using firewood because they cannot afford to purchase or operate electric cooking equipment.

Asma Khanam, a housewife in Banasree, said her household had been facing the problem for more than a month. According to her, repeated attempts to light the stove often produce little or no usable gas.

In Rampura, Selina Akter said the situation had deteriorated from an earlier pattern in which gas was available for short periods at night.

“Now there is hardly any difference between day and night,” she said, adding that her household had become dependent on an electric stove for cooking.

For lower-income families, however, even that alternative is not always affordable. Arifa Akter of Badda said her family had resorted to a firewood stove because purchasing an electric stove was beyond their means.

Breakfast shops see more customers

The shortage has had a noticeable effect on restaurants and small hotels in residential areas.

Abu Bakar, manager of Mehreen Hotel in Banasree, said morning customer pressure had increased compared with normal days.

Saiful Islam, manager of the nearby Pithamela restaurant, also reported higher morning footfall and better sales. He attributed the increase directly to the inability of many households to prepare breakfast at home.

Suman, manager of Gharoya Restaurant, said morning customers had increased significantly as residents sought an easier alternative to cooking amid the continuing gas shortage.

The change is particularly visible among working couples and households where family members leave home early. For them, buying breakfast on the way to work has become a practical response to an increasingly unreliable domestic cooking supply.

LNG supply disruption behind worsening shortage

The gas shortage has been linked to problems affecting floating liquefied natural gas terminals, known as floating storage and regasification units, or FSRUs, at Maheshkhali.

Bangladesh relies on two such floating terminals for a significant part of its LNG supply. A technical problem at one terminal recently reduced gas availability. Subsequently, adverse weather conditions disrupted the normal supply operation of the other terminal from Tuesday afternoon, further worsening the shortfall.

The disruption has consequently affected domestic gas consumers in several parts of Dhaka. With household cooking disrupted, residents are being forced to find alternatives ranging from electric and firewood stoves to purchased meals.

For families already managing tight household budgets, the crisis is therefore not simply a matter of inconvenience. It is also increasing daily food and cooking costs, while forcing many people to alter routines that had previously centred on preparing meals at home.