Severe Gas and Power Crisis Cripples Industries and Daily Life Nationwide

A severe nationwide crisis regarding gas and electricity supply has resulted in catastrophic disruptions to both industrial production and daily civilian life across several regions of the country, including Dhaka, Faridpur, Rajbari, Gazipur, and Habiganj. The current gas-shortage crisis has brought the production of most heavy industries in the country to a complete standstill, throwing the national economy into a state of profound uncertainty.

According to verified reports, this alarming gas shortage has been directly triggered by a major disaster in liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies. As a consequence of this disruption, a staggering daily deficit of approximately 500 million cubic feet of gas has been created, severely undermining the operational capacity of industrial sectors dependent on consistent energy inputs.

The impact on the manufacturing sector has been immense, affecting major corporate entities and industrial groups. Notably, Meghna Group has been forced to shut down all 57 of its industrial units. Furthermore, the crisis has paralyzed manufacturing hubs in Gazipur and Habiganj, where 525 factories in Gazipur and 171 factories in Habiganj have completely suspended their production operations.

The shutdown in Habiganj alone carries massive socioeconomic consequences, as more than 150,000 workers were regularly employed across those 171 affected factories. Business leaders and organizations such as TK Group, RFL Group, and the Aleya Sultana Smriti Pathagar, represented by figures like Khan Yamin, are witnessing an unprecedented halt in regional economic activity due to these crippling energy shortages.

Compounding the industrial paralysis, the power sector is facing simultaneous collapses driven by fuel shortages and necessary maintenance works. At least 41 to 62 power plants across the country are currently reported to be either completely or partially shut down, plunging large parts of the nation into severe and relentless load-shedding.

Ordinary citizens are bearing the brunt of this dual energy crisis in their daily lives. In many districts, particularly including Faridpur and Rajbari, residents are enduring agonizing power outages lasting between 15 to 16 hours day and night, severely disrupting both domestic routines and community welfare.