Bangladesh in a bind over LNG imports

More gas is needed to address an energy crisis in Bangladesh, but developing an over-reliance on imported fuel may leave the economy exposed

The arrival of Bangladesh's first imported liquefied natural gas shipment at the floating Moheshkhali terminal in the Bay of Bengal last week is expected to ease an acute gas shortage that is worsening as domestic reserves are depleted. However, concerns remain over the long-term viability of imported gas as a significant part of the country's energy mix. Bucking global carbon emissions trends, Bangladesh plans to transition towards a coal-dominated power sector by 2030, but imported LNG is seen as an essential stopgap while plants are constructed. The power ministry expects electricity demand to spike to 34,000 megawatts in 2030, up from 10,000 MW in 2017. Domestic gas production was just 2