Bangladesh plans to expand its liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure, including a new floating terminal and a large land-based facility, as rising demand and declining domestic gas production increase the country’s reliance on imports.
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources State Minister Anindya Islam Amit outlined the plans at the 15th LNG Producer-Consumer Conference 2026 at The Westin Hotel in Tokyo on Thursday.
Held under the theme “Advancing LNG for the Future: Resilience and Reliability”, the conference brought together producers and consumers to discuss the future of the global LNG market.
Speaking at the conference, Mr Amit said energy security could no longer be defined simply by access to fuel, given geopolitical shifts, supply disruptions and volatility in global energy markets.
He said Bangladesh’s energy strategy would increasingly focus on reliability, diversification, affordability and flexibility.
Bangladesh’s demand for natural gas has been rising rapidly, driven by population growth, industrialisation, urbanisation and increasing electricity consumption.
Gas remains critical to the country’s power generation, fertiliser production, industrial activity and commercial sectors. But domestic production has been unable to keep pace with demand, making imported LNG an increasingly important component of Bangladesh’s gas supply system.
New LNG capacity planned
Bangladesh currently receives around 1,100 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of regasified gas from two floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), according to the minister.
Annual LNG demand is currently around 7 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).
To meet growing demand, the government plans to add another 600 mmcfd FSRU at Maheshkhali by 2028, followed by a 1,000 mmcfd land-based LNG terminal at Matarbari by 2030.
The government also expects LNG import requirements to increase by an additional 3-4 MTPA during 2026-30, potentially rising to 17-18 MTPA during 2031-40, Mr Amit said.
The planned expansion underscores Bangladesh’s growing dependence on international gas markets at a time when global LNG trade is being reshaped by geopolitical tensions, supply disruptions and competition for cargoes.
Diversifying LNG supplies
Mr Amit said Bangladesh was seeking to diversify its LNG supply sources and procurement arrangements through government-to-government (G2G) agreements, requests for quotations (RFQs) and direct procurement methods (DPM).
The government is also seeking to attract international investment by maintaining what it described as a transparent and investor-friendly policy framework.
He highlighted the recently launched Bangladesh Offshore Bidding Round 2026, which remains open until 30 November 2026, as part of the country’s wider effort to attract investment into its energy sector.
The bidding round offers investors incentives including the ability to repatriate profits, government assistance in meeting tax obligations and longer-term revenue stability, he said.
Focus on resilience and affordability
The minister said Bangladesh believed that international partnerships and cooperation would be essential to building a secure, reliable and affordable energy future amid continued volatility in global energy markets.
He called for closer cooperation with friendly countries and international partners to strengthen energy security and develop a more resilient and sustainable energy system.
For Bangladesh, the challenge is increasingly twofold: securing enough LNG to support economic growth while limiting exposure to volatile international prices and supply disruptions.
The planned expansion of LNG infrastructure is therefore expected to remain a central part of the country’s energy strategy over the coming decade.