Category: Energy and Power

Bangladesh needs urgent and coordinated measures to address its worsening energy crisis, with greater emphasis on domestic gas exploration, renewable energy, energy effi ciency, sector reforms and private investment, experts said at a seminar in Dhaka recently.

They also called for reducing dependence on imported fuels, developing neglected gas fi elds and creating a predictable regulatory and investment environment for privatesector participation.

The observations came at a seminar titled ‘Energy Sector Crisis: Prospects and Way Forward’, organized by the Forum for Energy Reporters Bangladesh (FERB) at Dhaka Club.

In his keynote paper, former Dean of Engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) Prof Ijaz Hossain said Bangladesh must accelerate gas exploration to assess its remaining reserves and reduce its growing dependence on imported LNG.

Domestic gas production has fallen to around 1,700 million cubic feet per day (MMFCD) from a peak of 2,786 MMCFD in 2017, he said.

Maintaining even 2,000 MMCFD of domestic production would require drilling at least 10 wells annually, according to his presentation.

Bangladesh has already consumed around 15 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas, while only around 2 TCF has been added since the discovery of Bibiyana in 1997.

The country now has less than 8 TCF in remaining reserves, he said.

Without accelerated exploration, these reserves could be nearly exhausted by 2030, Prof Ijaz warned.

He called for the rapid development of Bhola’s gas resources, deepwater offshore exploration and the revival of idle fi elds such as Kutubdia.

He also stressed the need for improved reservoir management and timely workovers.

According to Prof Ijaz, LNG imports and additional terminals are necessary to address the immediate crisis but cannot provide a sustainable long-term solution.

He projected that gas demand could reach around 4,600 MMCFD by 2030, requiring domestic production of about 2,000 MMCFD and LNG imports of around 2,600 MMCFD.

This would require existing LNG terminals to operate at full capacity and two additional FSRUs to be added.

However, he cautioned that LNG imports would depend heavily on the availability of foreign currency.

‘Without the ability to purchase LNG, regasifi cation capacity will be useless,’ he said.

Prof Ijaz proposed an eight-point approach to energy security, including greater use of coal, energy conservation and effi ciency, and increased use of renewable technologies in cooking and transportation.

Former BUET professor and Vice Chancellor of Independent University, Bangladesh, M Tamim said there was no single solution to the country’s energy crisis.

Bangladesh needs to increase domestic gas production, import fuel where necessary, maximize coal-fi red power generation and rapidly add 2,0003,000MW of solar power, he said.

He also called for reconsidering the country’s dependence on BAPEX for exploration and suggested bringing international companies into the sector to address gaps in technology, expertise and investment.

M Shamsul Alam, energy adviser to the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, called for a ‘revolutionary change’ in the power and energy sector.

He identifi ed irrational pricing as one of the major challenges and urged the government to establish clear benchmark prices and predictable investment conditions for power generation.

Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku said the government was taking steps to expand rooftop solar generation, with a target of 10,000MW.

The government plans to encourage private investment in cluster-based rooftop solar projects under an OPEX model, with incentives including a fi ve-year tax holiday.

Under the model, third-party developers would fi nance, install, own and maintain solar systems on consumers’ rooftops.

Regarding private-sector participation in fuel imports and marketing, the minister said the proposed policy would allow companies to compete on an equal footing rather than favoring any particular business.

He said the government hopes to cooperate with Malaysia’s stateowned Petronas in developing Bhola’s gas resources and plans to invite international companies to participate in offshore exploration.

A Bangladeshi delegation has already discussed the issue with Petronas offi cials in Malaysia, while the minister plans to visit Houston to hold discussions with major international oil and gas companies on offshore exploration.

The minister acknowledged that inadequate gas pressure was severely affecting businesses, disrupting cash fl ow and increasing the risk of loan defaults.

‘I don’t want any businessman’s name to appear in the banks’ red ledger because of us,’ he said, adding that the government would arrange a meeting involving the Prime Minister, industrialists and experts to discuss the industrial crisis.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit apologized to consumers for the ongoing gas crisis and said the government was working to address the situation.

Bangladesh has around 30,000MW of power generation capacity, but inadequate fuel supplies are preventing power plants from operating at full capacity, he said.

‘If we could run the gas-fi red power plants at full capacity, people would not have to suffer the current power crisis,’ Amit said.

He noted that immediately increasing LNG imports was not possible because of inadequate infrastructure, even if suffi cient funds were available.

The government is seeking to bring a third FSRU into operation within less than two years, while work is also underway on a fourth FSRU and a land-based LNG terminal, he said.

Updating the seminar on the Excelerate Energy-operated FSRU, Amit said one boiler was undergoing repairs while the other remained out of operation.

He said restarting the second boiler would require the operating boiler to be shut down for at least 72 hours, potentially causing another temporary disruption to gas supplies.

‘The biggest challenge now is deciding when people’s suffering will be the least and when we can operate this FSRU at full capacity,’ he said.

FERB Chairman M Azizur Rahman chaired the seminar.

Loss and damage must remain a central priority in Bangladesh’s climate advocacy ahead of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), with stronger mechanisms needed to ensure climate fi nance reaches vulnerable countries and affected communities, civil society representatives said.

The call was made at a coordination and planning meeting of the Climate Justice Forum held at a city hotel on Thursday.

Chaired and moderated by Dr Kazi Maruful Islam, Chair of the Climate Justice Forum National Committee, the meeting brought together Forum members, civil society representatives, climate experts and development practitioners to review recent developments in global climate negotiations and identify priorities for Bangladesh’s civil society ahead of COP31.

Forum Member Secretary Roufa Khanum presented an overview of the Forum’s recent activities, highlighting its growing engagement at national and sub-national levels and efforts to strengthen coordination and collective advocacy on climate justice.

Md Salah Uddin, Team Lead-Knowledge Management at AOSED, delivered a keynote presentation titled ‘SB64 Highlights, Key Negotiation Outcomes and Major Areas of Disagreement among Parties Leading towards COP31.’ The presentation reviewed major developments from the SB64 climate negotiations in Bonn, areas of continuing disagreement among Parties and their potential implications for negotiations at COP31.

In addition, the Forum intends to present its climate risk architecture at relevant discussions and engagements during COP31, strengthening efforts to ensure that the concerns and priorities of vulnerable communities are refl ected in global climate decision-making.

Power generation from Unit-1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has been delayed as the project awaits fi nal regulatory clearance from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA).

Fuel loading and around 90 major commissioning tests have been completed under a B1 license.

However, the plant must obtain a B2 commissioning license before reaching criticality and beginning power generation.

Offi cials had earlier expected Unit-1 to supply around 300MW to the national grid by August, but the target is now unlikely to be met.

Nuclear Power Plant Company of Bangladesh Managing Director Dr Md Zahedul Hasan said the project is ready for the next stage once BAERA completes its fi nal inspection and grants the license.

He added that even after achieving criticality, another four to six weeks would be required before electricity generation begins

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo held a meeting with Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice President for South, Central and West Asia Yingming Yang on Monday to discuss strengthening development cooperation, climate action and sustainable development in Bangladesh.

During the meeting at the minister’s offi ce, the two sides reviewed Bangladesh’s long-standing partnership with ADB and discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in climate adaptation and mitigation, climate fi nance, forest and biodiversity conservation, air and plastic pollution control, renewable energy and environmentally sustainable urban and infrastructure development.

They also discussed increasing ADB’s technical and fi nancial support for vulnerable communities affected by climate change and for developing climateresilient infrastructure.

ABB has formed a strategic partnership with and made a minority investment in LevelTen Energy, aiming to strengthen clean energy procurement services for industrial and commercial customers.

LevelTen, described by ABB as the world’s largest clean energy marketplace, has facilitated more than 20 GW of clean energy transactions across more than 35 markets in North America and Europe.

Its platform supports transactions including power purchase agreements (PPAs) and environmental attribute certifi cates.

The partnership will combine LevelTen’s clean energy procurement platform with ABB’s expertise in electrifi cation, digital solutions and energy management.

ABB said the collaboration will expand its energy and carbon advisory services, helping customers secure affordable, long-term renewable power while managing energy costs and emissions.

ABB said the partnership is particularly relevant as companies face growing pressure to demonstrate when and where clean electricity is generated and consumed

Bangladesh’s worsening gas and electricity shortages are severely disrupting energyintensive industries, with plastic and ceramic manufacturers reporting sharp production declines, rising costs and growing risks to exports.

Industry leaders said many factories are operating at less than half of their capacity, while some have temporarily suspended production.

The crisis has intensifi ed following a technical failure at a fl oating LNG terminal, which reduced national gas supplies by around 450 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD).

The plastic industry has been particularly affected because injection molding, blow molding and extrusion require uninterrupted power and gas.

According to the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association, around 300 plastic factories have suspended production, mostly small and mediumsized enterprises, while many others are operating at only 30-40% capacity

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has increased the retail price of liquefi ed petroleum gas (LPG) for August, raising the price of the widely used 12kg cylinder by Tk 70 following a sharp reduction in July.

Under the new pricing, consumers will have to pay Tk 1,598 for a 12kg LPG cylinder, up from Tk 1,528, according to a BERC notifi cation.

BERC fi xed the retail price of privately marketed LPG at Tk 133.15 per kilogram, including VAT, compared with Tk 127.30 per kilogram in July, refl ecting an increase of Tk 5.85 per kg.

The commission also revised prices for other cylinder sizes.

A 5.5kg cylinder will now cost Tk 732, while prices have been set at Tk 1,664 for 12.5kg, Tk 1,997 for 15kg, Tk 2,130 for 16kg, Tk 2,397 for 18kg, Tk 2,663 for 20kg, Tk 2,929 for 22kg, Tk 3,329 for 25kg, Tk 3,995 for 30kg, Tk 4,394 for 33kg, Tk 4,660 for 35kg and Tk 5,992 for a 45kg cylinder.

The price of autogas used in vehicles has also been increased by Tk 3.27 per liter, from Tk 70.40 to Tk 73.67 per liter.

India’s Union Cabinet has approved a ?23,731 crore (about $2.5 billion) national scheme to accelerate compressed biogas (CBG) production and turn agricultural and organic waste into clean energy, organic fertilizer and rural income.

The 10-year GOBARdhan National Circular Bioenergy Scheme will support the use of agricultural residues, cattle dung, press mud, municipal organic waste and other biomass resources for CBG production.

The program will provide assured offtake, stable pricing, capital assistance, pipeline connectivity and access to fi nance to strengthen the CBG value chain.

The government expects the scheme to drive nearly ten-fold growth in domestic CBG production.

India currently imports a signifi cant share of its natural gas requirements.

Expanding domestic CBG production is therefore expected to strengthen energy security, reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and create new economic opportunities for farmers, rural entrepreneurs and private investors.

BRAC University ViceChancellor Professor Syed Ferhat Anwar has urged Bangladesh to take a leadership role in environmental conservation, highlighting the country’s unique ecological assets, including the world’s largest mangrove forest, the largest delta, the longest natural sea beach and the world’s largest deep-sea submarine fan.

‘Bangladesh is the world’s largest delta.

We are home to the world’s largest mangrove forest, the longest sea beach and the largest deep-sea submarine fan.

Therefore, Bangladesh should also take a leadership role in global environmental and biodiversity conservation,’ he said.

Professor Anwar made the remarks while inaugurating a two-day programme marking World Environment Day and World Nature Conservation Day 2026 at BRAC University’s Merul Badda campus on August 8.

The programme was organized by the university’s Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER), with support from Mutual Trust Bank PLC (MTB).

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning, Prof. Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, has called for transforming renewable energy adoption into a nationwide social movement, alongside expanding local manufacturing of solar technologies to strengthen Bangladesh’s energy security.

Speaking at a seminar titled ‘Distributed Renewable Energy: The Future Solar Solution for Bangladesh’ at the Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF) in Dhaka recently, Titumir said public awareness and citizen participation are essential for accelerating the country’s clean energy transition.

He stressed that creating public demand for renewable energy would encourage market expansion, while greater use of household solar systems could reduce dependence on imported fuels, including LPG, lower energy costs and improve energy security