Bangladesh tightens power-saving rules as gas crisis deepens
Bangladesh orders earlier shop closures and shorter business hours as gas shortages and the Iran crisis trigger load-shedding.
Bangladesh has imposed stricter electricity-saving measures as the country battles a deepening gas shortage that is disrupting power generation and causing blackouts.
Under a government directive effective Thursday, shops, markets and shopping malls must shut by 8 pm — one hour earlier than before. Commercial establishments can now operate only between 11 am and 8 pm. Hospitals, pharmacies and food-related businesses are exempt from the new timing.
The restrictions come as limited natural gas supplies have cut electricity output, leaving the national grid with a shortfall of several hundred megawatts during peak hours. Load-shedding has been reported in various parts of the country.
The Iran crisis has compounded the problem by disrupting energy markets and increasing volatility in global fuel and LNG prices. Bangladesh, which relies heavily on imported LNG as domestic gas production declines, is particularly exposed to supply disruptions and rising import costs.
A recent outage at an LNG terminal further strained supplies, temporarily reducing gas flows to the national grid. The conflict has also heightened uncertainty over LNG availability, making it more expensive to secure energy at a time when Bangladesh already faces a wide gap between gas demand and supply.