Bangladesh is experiencing its worst electricity crisis since 2013, as revealed by a Reuters analysis of government data. Erratic weather patterns, coupled with challenges in paying for fuel imports due to declining foreign exchange reserves and a depreciating currency, have contributed to the crisis. The country, known for its textile exports to global retailers like Walmart, H&M, and Zara, has witnessed power cuts for 114 days in the first five months of 2023, surpassing the total number of outages in 2022.
The power shortages have been particularly severe during late evenings and early mornings, with residents and small businesses enduring unannounced outages lasting up to 12 hours. Fuel shortages are the primary cause of supply shortfalls, affecting gas-fired, coal-fired, and liquid-fuel power plants. Bangladesh’s reliance on coal for electricity generation has increased, while the share of natural gas has declined due to dwindling reserves and a lack of long-term agreements with global suppliers.
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