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Published : 06 Mar 2026, 01:20 PM
Production at four state-owned urea fertiliser factories has been suspended for 15 days due to a gas shortage linked to global energy supply concerns amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The Shahjalal Fertilizer Company Limited is currently the only one of the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation’s (BCIC) five plants in operation.
“Among our five urea fertiliser factories, only Shahjalal is operating, while the other four are closed,” BCIC Director (Production and Research) Moniruzzaman said on Friday.
The state-run plants are Ghorashal-Polash Fertilizer, Shahjalal Fertilizer, Chattogram Urea Fertilizer, Jamuna Fertilizer, and Ashuganj Fertilizer and Chemical Company.
Besides these, the privately run Karnaphuli Fertilizer Company Limited (KAFCO) has also suspended production due to the gas shortage.
As a result, five of the country’s six urea fertiliser factories, both public and private, are currently shut.
Moniruzzaman said the Shahjalal plant has a daily production capacity of about 1,300 tonnes.
“After completing maintenance work, it has entered the startup phase and is now operating,” he said.
He added that BCIC’s five fertiliser plants require around 197 million cubic feet of gas per day to run at full capacity.
“We have been asked to keep the plants shut for 15 days. We do not yet know what decision will be taken after that,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has issued a directive urging energy conservation in light of the global energy situation.
In a notice issued on Thursday, the ministry said the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have raised concerns about potential disruptions to international energy supply chains.
To ensure national energy security, it called for measures to reduce energy consumption.
The directive emphasised reducing natural gas use, avoiding unnecessary use of gas-powered equipment and preventing leakage in gas pipelines.
It also advised people to use public transport instead of private vehicles to save fuel and limit unnecessary travel.
