Bangladesh has shut down another fertiliser production facility due to an ongoing natural gas shortage, disrupting daily output and adding pressure to the country’s industrial supply chain.
Authorities halted production at the Ghorashal–Palash Fertiliser PLC plant in Palash, Narsingdi on Wednesday afternoon following government directives linked to insufficient gas supply. The factory’s General Manager (Administration) Fakhrul Alam confirmed that operations were suspended after the plant failed to receive the required level of gas needed to maintain production.
The shutdown comes as Bangladesh continues to struggle with limited gas availability, which has already forced the suspension of other fertiliser plants. Earlier, production was stopped at Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited (CUFL) and Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company Limited (KAFCO), both located in Anwara, Chattogram, for the same reason.
Ghorashal–Palash Fertiliser PLC is considered one of the largest environmentally friendly fertiliser production facilities in Southeast Asia. The plant has a daily production capacity of about 2,840 metric tonnes of fertiliser and plays an important role in supporting Bangladesh’s agricultural supply.
According to factory sources, the suspension is disrupting the production of roughly 2,800 metric tonnes of fertiliser per day. Fertiliser manufacturing at the plant relies entirely on a steady supply of natural gas, making operations highly vulnerable to energy shortages.
Officials at the facility said the plant requires a consistent gas pressure of around 71–72 PSI to operate normally, although production can continue at reduced levels with a minimum supply of 52–53 PSI. Without sufficient gas pressure, however, maintaining stable operations becomes impossible.
Despite the halt in production, the factory currently has around 525,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser stored in its warehouses, which could help ease immediate supply concerns in the domestic market.
Plant authorities say production can resume once gas supply stabilises, but officials could not confirm when adequate gas will become available again. The continued gas shortage has raised concerns about its broader impact on Bangladesh’s fertiliser production capacity and the potential consequences for the agricultural sector.
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