Category: Energy and Power

The government has attached Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation chairman (additional secretary) Md Rezanur Rahman to the Ministry of Public Administration.

A gazette notifi cation issued recently said that Rezanur Rahman had been transferred and attached to the ministry.

Rezanur was appointed BPC chairman through a notifi cation issued on February 2 and formally assumed offi ce on February 5.

Before joining BPC, he served as chairman of Petrobangla.

The government has launched an initiative to strengthen energy audits in major industries as part of a broader effort to improve energy effi ciency, reduce fuel waste and lessen Bangladesh’s dependence on imported energy.

According to the FY2026-27 budget, designated industrial consumers will be encouraged to optimize electricity use and adopt energy-effi cient technologies to help lower rising power generation costs driven by increasing LNG imports and declining domestic gas production.

The government is also promoting renewable energy by offering incentives for local manufacturing of solar panels, wind turbine components and battery storage systems, while targeting 20% of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030.

Alongside effi ciency measures, the government plans to expand power generation and transmission capacity, modernize the grid with smart technologies, retire ineffi cient power plants and review costly power purchase agreements to improve fi nancial sustainability.

The reforms are aimed at creating a more reliable, affordable and environmentally sustainable power sector while reducing the growing subsidy burden and strengthening long-term energy security.

Bangladesh has no alternative but to transition to electric vehicles (EVs) in both public transport and private mobility.

However, achieving this requires a carefully designed roadmap based on a comprehensive technoeconomic assessment.

The country’s targets must be aligned with the current state of the transport sector, evolving global trends, and technological advancements.

Otherwise, unrealistic planning could hinder the successful transition to electric mobility.

Dr.Md.

Ziaur Rahman Khan, Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), shared these views in an interview with Mollah Amzad Hossain, Editor of Energy and Power.

The government has set a target of having 30% of the country’s vehicles electrifi ed by 2030.

How do you view this goal? If battery-powered rickshaws are included in the count, achieving 30% of the total number of vehicles is not diffi cult, as Bangladesh already has around 4.0 million battery-powered three-wheelers on the roads.

However, if we focus on mainstream transport-such as public transport and private passenger vehicles-the target becomes much more challenging.

In my opinion, achieving a 30% transition in these categories within the next four years is highly unlikely.

The current national budget offers tax and duty incentives for EVs, charging stations and batteries as part of the country’s green energy transition.

What impact do you expect these measures to have? These policy incentives will certainly help reduce electric vehicle prices.

Lower prices will encourage more consumers to purchase EVs.

At the same time, higher import duties on conventional internal combustion engine vehicles have already increased their prices, making EVs relatively more competitive.

The availability of quality EVs from Japan, in addition to Chinese brands, will also strengthen consumer confi dence.

While EVs are unlikely to have a signifi cant impact on the heavy-truck segment in the near future, government incentives can play an important role in expanding the use of electric buses in public transport.

However, quality must remain the highest priority.

Bangladesh should discourage the large-scale import of old reconditioned EVs because many of them come with batteries that have already lost a signifi cant portion of their lifespan.

Such vehicles could create reliability issues and undermine consumer confi dence.

Appropriate tariff measures should be considered to prevent low-quality used EVs from entering the market.

Several companies are preparing to assemble or manufacture EVs locally.

Could local production make EVs more affordable? Local manufacturing and assembly can certainly reduce costs, but quality cannot be compromised.

We have seen examples where locally assembled vehicles became cheaper but failed to match the quality of internationally manufactured models.

That experience should serve as a lesson.

Consumers are increasingly willing to adopt new technologies, but they will only continue to do so if product quality is maintained.

Reliable aftersales service is equally important.

The government should therefore focus on developing skilled technicians and establishing a nationwide service network.

At the same time, the expansion of service centers, EV sales, and charging infrastructure must progress together.

During the initial stage, the government should play a leading role in developing a sustainable business model for the EV ecosystem.

Many believe that a nationwide charging infrastructure is critical for EV adoption.

What is your assessment of solar-plus-battery charging stations? At this stage, I would not recommend solar-plus-battery charging stations as the primary model, as the business case is not yet commercially attractive.

However, solar-powered charging stations should certainly be encouraged to reduce pressure on the national electricity grid.

The Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) has already established a committee to approve EV charging stations.

Many investors have obtained approvals but have yet to install the facilities.

Existing charging stations in Bogura, Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Narayanganj remain underutilized because the number of EVs is still very limited.

Before a large-scale EV rollout, Bangladesh should consider expanding the use of plug-in hybrid vehicles.

They could serve as an effective transitional technology, helping familiarize consumers with electric mobility.

The government has already introduced fi scal incentives for plug-in hybrids in the national budget, but these incentives should be further strengthened.

To build public confi dence in new technologies, greater tax and duty incentives should be provided for high-quality plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles.

Electrifying public transport, in addition to private vehicles, would deliver broader social and environmental benefi ts.

The government has already launched some initiatives through BRTC, but Bangladesh’s public transport system is largely operated by the private sector.

What steps should the government take to accelerate the transition? Numerous operators dominate Bangladesh’s public transport system, and it lacks proper regulation.

Many buses currently operating in cities are not even roadworthy.

Before introducing electric buses on a large scale, the government should designate dedicated EV bus routes where diesel- and CNG-powered buses are discouraged.

Without designated EV-only routes, unhealthy competition and non-cooperation from existing diesel and CNG bus operators may undermine the effi ciency and reliability of electric buses.

The transport sector itself also needs reform.

Drivers must receive specialized training to operate electric buses effi ciently; otherwise, the energy-effi ciency benefi ts of EVs will not be fully realized.

At the same time, the country needs to develop skilled technicians for maintenance and servicing.

The government has announced plans to introduce 100 electric buses and another 100 minibuses for women through BRTC.

Similar attempts to improve public transport with modern buses, such as Volvo buses, have been made in the past but did not achieve the expected results.

Instead of deploying all 200 vehicles at once, I would recommend introducing them in phases.

The initial fl eet should operate on dedicated routes reserved exclusively for electric buses.

Lessons learned from the fi rst phase should be used to improve operations, driver training, maintenance capacity, and service quality before expanding the program.

Over time, private transport operators should be encouraged to invest in electric buses.

Both BRTC and private operators should also develop their own charging infrastructure.

Finally, Bangladesh must consider local road conditions.

Many roads are regularly fl ooded during the monsoon, so detailed studies are needed to assess how waterlogging may affect EV operations before scaling up deployment.

Battery-powered rickshaws using lead-acid batteries have spread rapidly across the country, raising concerns about lead contamination of soil and water.

What policy measures should the government take? First, we need to distinguish between two types of vehicles.

Battery kits fi tted to traditional pedal rickshaws should be phased out gradually because they pose safety and traffi c management problems.

On the other hand, purposebuilt battery-powered three-wheelers with proper engineering and design should be brought under the existing regulatory framework for threewheelers.

Bangladesh now has nearly four million battery-powered rickshaws.

The government should develop a comprehensive policy and business model to replace lead-acid batteries with lithium batteries.

NGOs and microfi nance institutions could play a signifi cant role by providing affordable fi nancing for battery replacement.

Although lithium batteries require a higher upfront investment, they are far more economical over their lifetime.

A lead-acid battery typically lasts about one year, whereas a lithium battery can last at least fi ve years.

More importantly, replacing lead-acid batteries would signifi cantly reduce soil and water pollution.

The solution is not to ban batterypowered rickshaws altogether.

Rather, technically compliant electric threewheelers should be registered, and drivers should receive formal training and licensing.

Otherwise, these vehicles could become an even greater road safety challenge in the future.

Many argue that charging batterypowered rickshaws is placing additional pressure on the electricity distribution system, especially because many operators use residential electricity connections instead of commercial tariffs.

What should be done? One major problem is the lack of standards for battery chargers.

Both lead-acid and lithium batteries need chargers.

But Bangladesh lacks proper technical standards for these devices.

As a result, many poor-quality chargers are in use.

They waste energy and also harm the electricity network.

In my research, I found that simple technical improvements to charger design could increase energy effi ciency by up to 20%, resulting in substantial electricity savings nationwide.

Poor-quality chargers also shorten transformer life and contribute to feeder overloading.

Illegal electricity use for charging is primarily an enforcement issue for utilities.

A prepaid charging system should be introduced to address electricity theft.

Current regulations already allow residential consumers to charge two or three electric three-wheelers from a household connection, while larger commercial charging facilities are expected to use approved electricity connections.

Some experts believe Bangladesh should announce a clear roadmap with a timeline for transitioning all vehicles to electric mobility.

Do you agree? Absolutely.

Bangladesh must transition to electric mobility.

However, one of our biggest challenges is the lack of policy consistency.

Different policymakers often make different announcements, resulting in fragmented implementation.

The government should fi rst undertake a comprehensive techno-economic study and then prepare a detailed national EV roadmap with realistic targets, timelines, and implementation strategies.

Without such a roadmap, the country is likely to face signifi cant challenges during implementation, thereby delaying the transition rather than accelerating it.

The Government of Bangladesh and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have signed an agreement to implement a pound 1.125 million European Unionfunded project aimed at strengthening climaterelated migration management, enhancing institutional capacity, and promoting regional cooperation across South Asia.

The three-year project, titled ‘Advancing an Integrated Approach to Climate-Related Migration in South Asian Countries,’ will be implemented under an agreement signed between the Economic Relations Division (ERD) of the Ministry of Finance and IOM Bangladesh.

The agreement was signed by ERD Secretary Mohammad Shahriar Kader Siddiky and Dr.

Laura TommBonde, Chief of Mission of IOM Bangladesh.

Organizations with strong commitments to sustainability, climate action and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles have been invited to participate in a high-profi le initiative alongside the 2026 UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Trkiye.

The COP31 100 Global Impact Leaders program, jointly organized by the UN World Women Organization, the Global CSR Foundation, and international business publication The European, aims to recognize organizations that are making signifi cant contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate action.

The initiative will bring together businesses, investors, policymakers, fi nancial institutions and sustainability leaders during COP31, providing selected participants with opportunities for global recognition, executive networking and media exposure.

At the heart of the program is the publication ‘100 Global Impact Leaders: Advancing the SDGs Toward 2030,’ a special supplement highlighting companies, institutions, policymakers and innovators demonstrating measurable progress in sustainability and responsible business practices.

The initiative comes as sustainability reporting and ESG disclosure continue to gain prominence worldwide.

Organizers noted that the UN Sustainable Development Goals have become central to corporate investment and reporting strategies, while new international sustainability reporting standards and growing investor expectations are increasing demand for transparent climate and ESG performance.

According to the organizers, the program is designed to help participating organizations demonstrate leadership in climate action, strengthen relationships with investors and policymakers, highlight sustainable business practices, enhance executive visibility and build international partnerships ahead of the 2030 SDG deadlin

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the authorities to accelerate the adoption of environmentally friendly brick production technologies as part of a broader strategy to curb air pollution and improve environmental quality across the country.

Report BSS The directive came during a high-level meeting on environmental pollution chaired by the Prime Minister at his Tejgaon offi ce in Dhaka recently, according to Prime Minister’s Assistant Press Secretary Gazi Shahriar Pamy.

The meeting reviewed a wide range of measures to address air and noise pollution, with particular emphasis on reducing emissions from traditional brick kilns, one of the country’s major sources of air pollution.

The Prime Minister stressed the need to replace conventional brickmaking methods with cleaner, environmentally sustainable alternatives

Global renewable electricity g e neration recorded its fastest annual growth on record in 2024, rising 9.8% and significantly outpacing the 1.4% increase in non-renewable power generation, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

The agency’s Renewable Energy Statistics 2026 report said renewable sources generated 9,836 terawatthours (TWh) of electricity in 2024, accounting for 31.7% of total global electricity generation.

IRENA said the rapid expansion of renewable power underscores the growing momentum behind global electrifi cation.

However, it warned that achieving the COP31 Presidency of Trkiye’s proposed target of meeting 35% of fi nal energy demand with electricity by 2035 would require renewables to supply nearly 78% of global electricity generation by then-around 2.5 times the current share.

The transition to electric mobility is no longer simply an environmental aspiration; it is becoming an economic necessity for Bangladesh.

Every year, the country spends billions of dollars importing petroleum products while grappling with volatile global fuel prices and persistent energy insecurity.

Electrifying the transport sector offers an opportunity to reduce import dependence, improve urban air quality, strengthen industrial competitiveness, and support long-term climate objectives.

The recent policy initiatives-including tax incentives, plans to electrify public transport, and support for domestic manufacturing-are encouraging.

Equally promising is the growing interest from local conglomerates and international investors in establishing EV assembly plants, battery manufacturing facilities, and charging infrastructure.

Together, these developments could lay the foundation for a new industrial ecosystem capable of generating employment, attracting investment, and advancing technological innovation.

Yet policy ambition alone will not guarantee success.

The country still lacks a comprehensive charging network, affordable fi nancing for consumers, skilled technical personnel, and an effective battery recycling system.

The transition will also require a more resilient electricity grid capable of supporting increased demand without compromising reliability.

Public transport should remain the centerpiece of the country’s EV strategy.

Electrifying buses and government vehicle fl eets can deliver immediate economic and environmental benefi ts while building public confi dence in electric mobility.

The challenge is no longer whether electric vehicles will become part of the country’s transport future, but whether policymakers, industry, and investors can move quickly enough to build the infrastructure, institutions, and manufacturing capacity needed to make that future both affordable and sustainable.

Four people suffered burn injuries as a gas cylinder exploded at a CNG fi lling station in Tilagarh area of Sylhet city recently.

The injured were Abu Sayeed, 20 and Abu Sufi an, 22, both employees of the fi lling station and Jewel, 20 and Habib, 22.

A gas cylinder exploded with a big bang at Al Jalal CNG Filling Station under Shahporan Police Station when a bus was being refueled with compressed natural gas, leaving four people injured, said Mizanur Rahman, manager of Al Jalal CNG Filling Station.

The injured were taken to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital and later shifted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka.

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has completed fuel loading, the required tests, and is preparing to enter the criticality stage, a key milestone before electricity generation begins.

The plant is now awaiting approval from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA), whose high-level inspection team arrived at the facility recently for a fi nal review.

Once the regulator grants approval, the plant will proceed to the criticality phase, said an offi cial.

Criticality is the operating state of a nuclear reactor in which nuclear fuel sustains a self-supporting fi ssion chain reaction.

If all systems function as expected, the reactor will then be brought to higher power levels to generate steam, which drives the turbines to produce electricity.

Beginning fuel loading on April 28, the Rooppur facility entered a multi-step operational commissioning process required to reach full power generation.