Category: Energy and Power

Bangladesh’s fuel oil import bill reached a record $10.63 billion in the 2025-26 fi scal year, more than doubling from $5.14 billion a year earlier, according to Bangladesh Bank data.

The 107% year-on-year increase means fuel oil accounted for 14.13% of the country’s total merchandise import bill of $75.24 billion in FY26.

Crude petroleum imports rose 92% to $1.20 billion, while imports of petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL) surged 109.1% to $9.44 billion.

Experts attributed the sharp rise mainly to higher global oil prices and growing domestic demand.

Bangladesh’s fuel imports also increased, with 5.74 million tonnes imported during July-March of FY26, compared with 5.005 million tonnes in the same period a year earlier.

Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation estimates annual fuel demand at around 7.4 million tonnes.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has clarifi ed tax and customs provisions for solar equipment imports, removing confusion over concessional treatment for commercial importers and facilitating faster clearance at ports.

The NBR instructed customs offi ces to apply uniform procedures for photovoltaic modules, panels, inverters and other solar equipment under the government’s renewable energy tax incentive scheme

The Asian University for Women (AUW) recently hosted the closing ceremony of its 2026 Math and Science Summer School, supported by Chevron Bangladesh.

The four-week program concluded with certifi cates being awarded to 104 college students from across Bangladesh.

The ceremony was attended by Dr.

Md.Ziauddin, Divisional Commissioner, Chattogram, as the chief guest.

Among the special guests were Ashiq Rahman, Director of Operations, Chevron Bangladesh, and Dee Bourbon, Lead Advisor, Community Partnerships, Chevron.

Dr.Mohiuddin Ahsanul Kabir Chowdhury, Director of the Summer School at AUW, thanked the participating students and faculty for their commitment and hard work.

He said the program continues to create valuable opportunities for young women interested in science, technology and related fi elds.

Ashiq Rahman said Chevron Bangladesh has been proud to support the Math and Science Summer School since 2019.

New reports from the UN Climate Change’s Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action have highlighted innovative fi nancing and market-based solutions to help reduce emissions across the global fashion industry.

The reports – Carbon Market Solutions for Decarbonizing Fashion and Financing Mechanisms to Support Decarbonization within the Fashion Sector – examine ways to channel capital into emissions reduction, particularly among upstream manufacturers in major production countries.

The studies highlight tools including internal carbon pricing, carbon insetting, mitigation contributions, carbon removals, green and sustainability-linked loans and bonds, grants, blended fi nance and energy performance contracts.

A key fi nding is that small and mediumsized upstream suppliers often struggle to access affordable fi nancing, despite much of the industry’s emissions being concentrated in these parts of the supply chain.

Fragmented production networks, limited data, short-term purchasing practices and perceived investment risks remain major barriers.

The reports call for stronger collaboration among fashion brands, suppliers, fi nancial institutions and policymakers.

Pooled fi nancing, collective power purchase agreements, shared verifi cation systems and supplier-focused decarbonization programs could help reduce costs and accelerate the adoption of clean technologies.

The fi ndings are intended to help the fashion sector advance its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, while improving supply-chain resilience and competitiveness

T o join or not to join? This question is on whether Bangladesh should join the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA) jointly unveiled by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan last month.

The collective defence pact, launched on August 7, came more than a year after Saudi Arabia signed a strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (MDA) on September 17.

The signifi cance of these developments should be measured in the context of the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran.

Already, the MJDA has earned a nickname as Islamic NATO as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are all Muslim countries and the pact has a provision similar to NATO’s article 5 that says an attack on any one of the country will be regarded as an attack on all the three countries.

For example, if Saudi Arabia comes under military attack by any country outside the pact it will be seen as an attack on Turkey and Pakistan.

In that case Turkey and Pakistan will have to respond in favour of Saudi Arabia.

Whether it will happen is a different question.

Details about the structure of the agreement and its objectives are yet to be divulged.

But it has already triggered debates in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country far from the Middle Eastern theatre.

It started after government leaders, including Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, made several statements indicating Dhaka’s willingness to join the framework provided it gets a formal invitation from the pact.

Answering a question in parliament Khalilur even played the Muslim card in explaining why Bangladesh should join the threenation defence arrangement.

The question came from Rumeen Farhana, an independent MP, who wanted to know about Bangladesh’s position in regard to the pact.

Khalilur said if the invitation comes from the signatories Dhaka will consider it positively.

He called the pact as a self-defense mechanism for the Muslim world.

Said he, ‘More importantly we have to keep in mind it is the world Muslim community’s self-defense mechanism.

And this is our family’s, Muslim family’s internal matter.

So there is nothing for others to be concerned about.’ Whether others are concerned or not, there are questions being by many foreign policy watchers in Bangladesh, a country which has never been into any military block since its independence in 1971.

Bangladesh has been admired at home and abroad for pursuing a non-aligned policy under the motto, friendship to all and malice to none.

Even the current government’s Bangladesh First policy also upholds the national interests above any other consideration.

Is joining the Mecca Pact good for Bangladesh’s national interests? In which way this serves the national interests of Bangladesh? The three signatories to the pact have their own compulsions in making the move.

Saudi Arabia has taken the lead in forming the pact.

It has the funds to fi nance defence projects and provide other fi nancial assistance; Turkey has the power to supply technical assistance, while Pakistan can provide manpower at the front.

Pakistan has long been providing training to Saudi military and its military cooperation with the oil-rich country is historic.

It is unclear how Bangladesh, which exports civilian manpower to Saudi Arabia, fi ts into the arrangement.

It seems a section of Bangladeshi analysts are misguided as the pact is named after Mecca, one of the holiest sites of the world’s Muslims.

There are more than 50 Muslim-majority countries in the world and only three of them have formed the latest pact.

If others are ignoring the pact why should it be a headache for Bangladesh? A section of analysts fi nd logic in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s willingness to be part of the Mecca pact even though many others are sounding caution.

They advise against hurrying into the pact, referring to the proverb: Look before you leap.

Bangladesh has called for greater involvement of local communities in protecting rangel and sand promoting sustainable land management.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo He made the call at a ministerial dialogue titled ‘Restoration of Rangelands and the Well-being of Pastoralist Communities’ at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertifi cation (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar recently.

The minister stressed the need to protect public and community-owned lands while strengthening the economic capacity of rural communities.

He said Bangladesh does not have vast rangelands in the conventional sense, but livestock plays an important role in the rural economy and livelihoods.

Agricultural fi elds after harvest, fallow land, chars, wetlands and roadside areas are commonly used for livestock grazing.

Environment , Forest and Climate Change State Minister Sheikh Faridul Islam has stressed the need to strengthen regional cooperation to address the shared climate risks facing South Asia.

He made the remarks at a meeting of the South Asia Regional Climate Cooperation (SARCC) held at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka recently.

The state minister said the government, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, is implementing a range of initiatives to address climate risks.

Alongside a campaign to plant 250 million trees, various measures are being taken to control pollution, he said.

A master plan has also been prepared to clean up the rivers surrounding Dhaka, including the Buriganga, Shitalakkhya, Turag and Balu.

Initiatives are being taken to prevent polluted wastewater and other contaminants from entering the rivers, he added.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said the government is working to resolve the country’s ongoing gas crisis and urged the opposition to submit a three-month plan outlining how the situation could be addressed.

He made the remarks recently while speaking at a program in the capital to distribute donations among underprivileged people marking the 82nd birth anniversary of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

At the event, held at the TandT ground in Mohakhali’s Korail area, the prime minister said some political parties were attempting to create disorder over the electricity situation through what he described as irresponsible actions.

‘Technical problems have been reduced, and the country will soon be free from the electricity crisis,’ he said.

Criticizing the opposition, Tarique called on them to come up with concrete plans within three months to address the country’s gas and power-related problems.

Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani recently assured that Qatar would extend all possible support to Bangladesh in ensuring energy security, particularly under the current challenging circumstances.

He described Bangladesh as a brotherly country when Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman called on the Qatari Prime Minister at his offi ce in Doha.

During the meeting, Dr Khalilur Rahman conveyed the greetings of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to the Qatari leadership.

He expressed Bangladesh’s solidarity with Qatar and commended its constructive and responsible role in promoting peace, security and stability in the region, which is important for the wider region and beyond, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has introduced the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Guidelines for Plastic Waste Management, 2026, aimed at reducing plastic pollution and strengthening sustainable waste management in Bangladesh.

The guidelines, published in the Bangladesh Gazette on August 13 under Section 13 of the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995, will apply to manufacturers, importers and brand owners of recyclable and nonrecyclable plastic products produced or used in the country.

Export-oriented industries producing goods exclusively against export orders will remain outside the scope of the guidelines.

Under the new framework, plastic products have been classifi ed into fi ve categories: rigid plastics, fl exible plastics, styrofoam/ EPS, non-banned single-use plastics, and other products such as sanitary napkins, diapers and cigarette fi lters.