Winter Gas Shortages Worsen Despite Regularly Paid Bills

As winter settles over Dhaka and surrounding regions, residents are confronting an acute shortage of piped natural gas. Despite paying their monthly bills promptly, many households are receiving minimal or inconsistent supply, compounding daily inconveniences. The situation is further exacerbated by a scarcity of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders and soaring market prices, forcing numerous families to revert to traditional clay stoves or rely on electric and induction cookers.

Parveen Akter, a homemaker on Kaderia Madrasa Road in Mohammadpur, explained, “Even though we have a government pipeline connection, the gas pressure drops drastically in winter. Often, we have no gas for the entire day. Only after midnight does a trickle arrive, but it’s insufficient for proper cooking. We are compelled to purchase LPG cylinders on top of our pipeline bills.” Similarly, Asad Abedin, a private-sector employee in Mirpur, noted, “Pipeline gas is almost nonexistent in winter. We have to cook in the middle of the night when some supply returns, which is hardly adequate for a family.”

Mostafa Patowary from Tongi added that LPG cylinders are frequently unavailable in the market, and prices—currently around 2,200 Taka compared to the official 1,306 Taka—are prohibitively high. Consequently, many households have reverted to clay stoves or alternative cooking methods.

The LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) reports that although the country has approximately 55 million LPG cylinders, only 12.5 million are being refilled due to import restrictions imposed by major companies. International supply disruptions and increased European demand have intensified the crisis locally.

Petrobangla data shows that three months ago daily gas supply was 2,700 million cubic feet (mmcft), which has now dropped to 2,500 mmcft. Of this, 832 mmcft comes from imported LNG, with the remainder supplied by domestic wells. Between October and January, domestic supply fell by 40 mmcft.

Md. Rafiqul Islam, Director of Operations and Mines at Petrobangla, stated that new wells are being drilled, a new LNG terminal is under construction, and illegal connections are being regularly addressed. However, without immediate government intervention and long-term planning, the shortage is expected to worsen throughout the winter season.

Current Gas Supply Overview

Experts emphasise that immediate government action is essential to stabilise pipeline gas pressure and ensure sufficient LPG distribution. Without timely measures, households across the capital and surrounding areas will face escalating hardships during the peak winter months.