Silent Factories, Dimming Hopes

The giant structures of Bangladesh's Ashuganj fertiliser factory, once powered round the clock to serve a nation of some 170 million people, have stood idle for over a year. The state-owned plant, located near the eastern Titas gas field, closed in March 2025, a symbol of a deeper energy crisis.

"Only the skeleton of the factory remains," says 59-year-old Md Bazlur Rashid, who spent his entire working life at the plant, speaking to AFP. "It has lost its life." The facility once employed more than 1,200 people and daily produced over 1,000 tonnes of urea. Now it sits as a rusting shell, a prominent example of the fallout.

Ashuganj is one of six major urea fertiliser plants across Bangladesh that have either shut down or restricted operations due to gas shortages. Trade union leader Md Abu Kawsar has highlighted the human cost: "These shutdowns have cost workers their jobs and threaten an industry so tied to food security." Speaking to AFP, he said, "You cannot simply let these factories sit idle and allow them to deteriorate. Reviving them could also help save foreign currency."

A Crisis of Supply and Investment

Reports trace the root of the crisis to a drop in domestic natural gas production, linked to under-investment in ageing fields and a lack of exploration. Experts say successive governments have failed to spend sufficiently on developing this critical resource. In addition, the US-Iran war has choked imports from the Middle East, with warfare in the region disrupting liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments and severely curtailing traffic through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. A floating storage and regasification unit has also faced technical issues.

Bangladesh was largely self-sufficient in gas just a few years ago, in 2018, but now relies heavily on key imports from Qatar, as well as continuing its own LNG orders and terminal investments. Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku has blamed the current predicament on the former government of Sheikh Hasina, toppled in a 2024 revolution, for failing to drill new wells.

"Successive governments have failed to invest enough in exploration," experts said, a view echoed by almost all reports.

Impact Cripples Industries and Homes

The consequences have spread widely, hitting the country's economic backbone. Hundreds of factories, encompassing textile and garment plants, have cut production or shut entirely. Bangladesh retains its status as the world's second-largest garment exporter, with apparel representing about 80% of its export earnings — making the sector's hardship all the more severe.

At the household level, domestic piped gas supplies are frequently interrupted. Families living near the plant report dire conditions. "We don't get a drop of gas overnight," said Nargis Begum, a housewife who resides close to the Ashuganj plant. Many, particularly in rural areas, have to turn to wood-burning stoves in response.

The power generation sector suffers equally. Gas-fired plants struggle to meet consumer demand, leading to regular blackouts. To cope, the government issued electricity-saving measures in August, amongst them ordering shopping malls to close an hour earlier. Despite the difficult choices, households account for only just over a tenth of gas consumption.

Transport has also not escaped the crunch. Rickshaw drivers, after waiting for extended periods in long queues for fuel, blocked roads in protest. The protest was a direct response to the crippling fuel shortages that have upended their livelihoods.

Path Forward: Investment or Renewables

With experts and academics pushing for long-term solutions, the cost of exploration is spelled out. Geologist Professor Md Anwar Hossain Bhuiyan of Dhaka University points out that a single well could yield enormous return: a US$12 to 16 million investment might recover the equivalent of US$4.5 to 4.9 billion in value.

The government is acting, planning to buy two drilling rigs and has launched an offshore bidding round to attract investment. In the longer term, Petrobangla chairman Md Abdul Mannan believes the issue can be resolved through a renewable energy transition, with a turnaround potentially within two years.

The suffering, however, is not waiting. "There is no let-up in our suffering," said residents in some reports. For now, Bangladesh's energy crisis combines a tightening of daily life and a critical test for its future resilience.