A severe compressed natural gas (CNG) shortage has paralysed public transport across Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh, leaving commuters stranded and driving up fares sharply, local media reported on Monday, 3 August. The crisis traces back to a fire at a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in Cox's Bazar on 21 July, which knocked out a critical gas import facility and sent supply plummeting well below national demand.

Transport Paralysed Across Dhaka

CNG-powered auto-rickshaws and public transport vehicles have largely gone off the roads after failing to receive adequate fuel even after drivers queued through the night. Many vehicle operators reportedly waited in lines from late at night until the following morning — or even afternoon — before giving up, according to The Dhaka Tribune.

Students, office-goers, and patients have been among the worst affected, struggling to reach their destinations on time. 'On other days, I can easily get a CNG by standing on Banasree E-Block Avenue Road. But today, even after waiting for more than 1 hour, I did not find a single empty vehicle,' a commuter was quoted as saying by The Dhaka Tribune.

Fares Double and Triple as Supply Dries Up

With fewer vehicles on the road, drivers who did operate were reportedly charging well above metered rates. Commuters said auto-rickshaws refused to run on meter, with contract fares doubling and, in some cases, tripling. Transport owners acknowledged that more than half of their fleet was idled due to the gas shortage, compounding financial losses for both owners and drivers.

The Cox's Bazar FSRU Fire: Root Cause

The immediate trigger for the supply collapse was a fire at an FSRU facility in Cox's Bazar on 21 July, which damaged one of its two boilers and forced the unit to suspend operations entirely. According to reports citing United News of Bangladesh (UNB), the incident reduced Bangladesh's daily gas supply to below 2,150 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) — a steep drop from the roughly 2,700 mmcfd averaged over the past year. Against a national daily demand of nearly 3,800 mmcfd, the gap is acute.

This comes amid Bangladesh's already chronic gas deficit, where domestic production has long fallen short of industrial and household needs, making import-dependent FSRU terminals critical chokepoints in the supply chain.

Household Kitchens Go Dark

The shortfall has extended well beyond transport. Gas pressure has dropped to near zero or flickered feebly in residential areas across Mirpur, Badda, Kalabagan, Kafrul, Mohammadpur, Kazipara, West Tejturi Bazar, and Rampura, residents said. Stoves have remained unlit for days in many households.

Low-income families have reportedly resorted to building temporary clay stoves and cooking with firewood. Those with greater means have turned to expensive electric cookers or LPG cylinders, pushing up household expenditures at a time when Bangladesh is already navigating broader economic pressures.

What Comes Next

The pace of recovery depends on how quickly the damaged FSRU in Cox's Bazar can restore operations. Until the facility's boiler is repaired and supply is normalised, commuters and households in Dhaka and beyond are likely to continue facing disruption. No official timeline for restoration had been announced as of the time of reporting.