Category: Energy and Power

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman recently said Bangladesh is steadily advancing toward clean energy, a green economy, and a self-reliant energy system through expanded use of renewable energy technologies. He made the remarks while addressing the inauguration ceremony of the ‘Renewable Solar Power On-Grid Rooftop’ initiative at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Dhaka. ‘Today we are inaugurating an initiative that is not only a power generation project, but also a symbol of Bangladesh’s sustainable future,’ the Prime Minister said. Referring to the launch of the onemegawatt rooftop solar power system at the parliament complex, he said the project sends a strong message that Bangladesh is moving steadily toward clean energy, sustainable economic growth, and energy self-reliance.

at the request of the Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament Major (retd) Ha?z Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikram, formally inaugurated the rooftop solar initiative

The government has signed contracts with 12 independent power producers (IPPs) to generate 918-MW electricity at an average cost of 7.80 cents (Tk 9.12) per kilowatt-hour, with of?cials saying the amount was roughly 2.5 cents lower than previous such costs. Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) of?cials said that the recent deals were part of an extensive energy mix campaign to maximize renewable energy generation, reducing dependence on traditional and, particularly, on imported fossil fuel sources. ‘The tariff drop of 2 to 3 cents means the average generation cost will fall signi?cantly from earlier average prices that hovered around 10.50 cents per kilowatt-hour,’ said an of?cial. BPDB of?cials said as part of the campaign, the new government annulled a past interim regime decision to scrap earlier adopted six power projects, alongside taking six new projects to get the 918 MW electricity at lower tariffs.

Pr of. Halil Hasar, Director of Climate Change, participated in the 5th Istanbul International Water Forum, held under the theme ‘Strengthening Water Resilience: Innovation to Action.’ Hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the forum is regarded as one of Trkiye’s leading international platforms on sustainable water governance. The event brought together ministerial delegations, policymakers, and representatives from major international organizations, including the United Nations, OECD, OIC, and the World Bank.

addressing the opening session, Director Hasar emphasized that water has become the most visible and immediate manifestation of the global climate crisis. He noted that COP31, which Trkiye will host this November, represents a historic opportunity to accelerate implementation-oriented climate action. Highlighting the intensifying impacts of climate change, Hasar stated that 2024 has of?cially become the hottest year on record, while disruptions in the hydrological cycle are increasing the frequency and severity of droughts and extreme weather events. Referring to UN ?ndings, he underlinedthat nearly 40 percent of the global population currently lives in waterstressed regions, placing more than 700 million people at severe risk of water scarcity. ‘Water should no longer be viewed solely as a natural resource,’ Hasar said. ‘It must be recognized as a strategic priority for global resilience, security, and sustainable development.

Government exchequer gasps under ?scal-pressure buildup as power-sector subsidy is projected to overshoot its budgetary mark in the current ?scal year (FY)-much of the burden stemming from overrated hiring of private plants.

the government had already disbursed Tk 320 billion during the ?rst nine months (July-March) of FY2025-26, and the amount is likely to reach some Tk 430 billion at the ?scal yearend, Ministry of Finance (MoF) of?cials say. With an estimated Tk 110 billion required to make up the gap for the remaining three months (AprilJune), the total subsidy requirement for the scal comes to nearly Tk 430 billion, says a senior MoF of?cial. Consequently, the nance ministry is nalizing a revised national budget substantially raising the power-sector allocation from its initial cap at Tk 370 billion, they say.

350.org welcomed COP31 PresidentDesignate Murat Kurum’s call to urgently increase the pace of global electri?cation, made at the Copenhagen Climate Ministers’ Meeting recently. Climate campaigners, however, urged governments to heed this call for electri?cation by raising revenues through windfall taxes on fossil fuel pro?ts, accompanied by concrete plans to phase out fossil fuels. Clémence Dubois, 350.org Campaigns Manager, said: ‘There is no doubt that electri?cation is urgently needed and a permanent tax on the fossil fuel industry can bridge the gap between promise and reality. G7 governments are sitting on the answer to the crisis of unaffordable energy. Fossil fuel companies are making their biggest pro?ts yet, while households around the world can’t afford their energy bills.

tax those windfall pro?ts and use revenues to accelerate electri?cation and deliver energy justice.

During this Eid-ul-Azha vacation I spent a couple of days in two separate villages away from the capital city. During my short stays I had had ?rst-hand experiences on how the villagers endure frequent loadshedding caused short supply of power to the Rural Electri?cation Board.

at my Suradia village home in Munshiganj district’s Sreenagar upazila I found electricity going off for hours together amid sweltering Jaishta heat. Whenever it returns it stays not for long, leaving consumers to endure not only sweat but concerns about irrigation pumps and agricultural activities.

the outages cause losses also to poultry farms apart from causing damages to refrigerators whoever owns the cooling appliances. The short vacation also took me and some of my friends to a restaurant close to River Padma in Dohar-Nawabganj area where we found customers and staff members struggling with on-again off-again power outages. We suffered too on a hot and humid day.

though the leave of power here was a bit short the restaurant authorities complained that there had recently been more disruptions in power supply obstructing smooth ?ow of business.

the summer is really going to be dif?cult.

the same is not seen in Dhaka, the capital city and the seat of power. There are discriminations between the capital city and the rural Bangladesh. With peak electricity demand crossing 16,000MW on a typical summer day Bangladesh Power Development Board can supply maximum up to 14,000MW to Power Grid Company Bangladesh for distribution through the six distribution companies, including the REB, which bears the brunt of the short supply.

the mainstream media does not provide space and time the sufferings of the villagers actually deserve.

the media’s coverage in this regard is discriminatory too.

the Dhaka city dwellers are being spared the load-shedding as part of the government’s tactic to keep them silent especially on this subject. Dhaka residents have too many problems to deal with. Rising cost of living, high fuel prices, traf?c chaos and not-so-good law and order are among the perils faced by the capital city residents. But they scream more when electricity goes off rendering refrigerators and fans idle. This is also the city where the rich, elite and the power live.

also the media sits here. So, the subsequent governments have always adopted the policy of keeping the capital city free of loadshedding.

the rural people are left to suffer as they are too weak to protest. They are the voiceless people.

the city people matter more than the villagers. The discrimination has been going on for many years. No doubt, it will go on. But the economic development and the efforts to reduce poverty suffer. When the lack of electricity stops electric irrigation pumps the production of rice and vegetables get the hit.

though declining, the agriculture’s contribution to Bangladesh’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is still sizeable.

the sector accounts for over 11% of the GDP, which is currently $510 billion in nominal term. But it provides employment to the country’s up to 40% of the population acting as a backbone of the economy. Bangladesh suffers when its agriculture gets weak.

it has been weakening over the years.

in the early 1970s agriculture accounted for 38% of the GDP.

in FY2425 it declined to 1.79%, the lowest rate of growth recorded in the last 11 years, according to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

this means Bangladesh is lagging behind in its drive for economic recovery amid global fuel prices turmoil. The drive to cut down the rate of poverty is also witnessing setbacks.

everyone everywhere requires electricity.

this is citizens’ rights. Political parties while seeking votes always promise a fair distribution of electricity between rural and urban residents.

in practice, the rural people remain neglected. No government has ever been able to reverse this trend

The government has introduced sweeping austerity measures, including a 30% cut in fuel use for of?cial vehicles and suspension of interest-free car loans for public of?cials, to rein in expenditure.

a noti?cation issued by the Cabinet Division said the measures will remain in force until further notice. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on April 2.

the government has also suspended foreign training programs and reduced domestic training and hospitality costs by 50%, seminar expenses by 20%, and travel expenses by 30%.

additionally, energy use in government of?ces will be cut by 30%, while purchases of vehicles, vessels, aircraft and computers have been halted. Land acquisition has also been temporarily suspended.

the move is aimed at tightening ?scal discipline amid growing economic pressure.

The government has ?nally increased fuel prices, raising the cost of octane, petrol, diesel, and kerosene by Tk 15 to Tk 20 per liter.

the information was disclosed in a press release issued by the Energy Division recently.

under the revised rates at the consumer level, diesel will be sold at Tk 115.00 per liter, octane at Tk 140.00 per liter, petrol at Tk 135.00 per liter, and kerosene at Tk 130.00 per liter. Although fuel prices have been adjusted on the ?rst day of each month in recent years under a prevailing policy, the government kept prices unchanged in April before announcing this latest increase.

M urat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, and President of COP31, has emphasized that the upcoming global climate summit will focus on turning commitments into real-world action, describing it as the ‘COP of Implementation.’ Speaking at a joint press conference in Istanbul with Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Kurum highlighted that energy security and climate goals will be treated as complementary priorities rather than competing agendas. He stressed that while global dialogue on climate issues continues, a signi?cant gap remains between decisions and their execution. ‘The ultimate measure of success for COP31 must be the translation of decisions into action on the ground,’ Kurum said, underscoring the need for practical implementation.

three Pillars: Dialogue, Consensus, Action Kurum outlined that Trkiye’s COP31 presidency will be guided by three core pillars-dialogue, consensus, and action-aimed at building trust, fostering shared responsibility, and ensuring measurable outcomes. He noted that the summit would promote renewable energy expansion, energy ef?ciency, and realistic transition pathways that consider national circumstances, while maintaining momentum toward the global 1.5°C climate target. Five Key Energy Priorities Trkiye has identi?ed ?ve major priorities for COP31: ? Accelerating clean energy transition and expanding energy access ? Reducing methane emissions and promoting zero-waste practices ? Developing climate-resilient cities and infrastructure ? Establishing effective climate action implementation mechanisms ? Advancing green industrialization in the energy sector Kurum highlighted that around 730 million people globally still lack access to electricity, framing energy transition as both a development and justice issue.

iEA Backs Trkiye’s Leadership IEA chief Birol described Trkiye’s leadership of COP31 as a ‘vital opportunity’ for the global community, noting that climate change has recently slipped down the international agenda amid geopolitical challenges. He reaf?rmed the IEA’s full support for Trkiye throughout the COP process, pledging expertise from the agency’s global network of energy and climate specialists to ensure a successful summit. Focus on Actionable Outcomes Kurum concluded by stating that the world is no longer satis?ed with new targets alone but is demanding concrete solutions. He expressed con?dence that COP31, to be hosted in Antalya, would mark a turning point in global climate diplomacy by strengthening trust, cooperation, and implementation.

the joint brie?ng signals a renewed push to align international climate commitments with tangible progress, as global energy systems face increasing pressure from both environmental and geopolitical challenge

The Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) has formally moved to dismantle the ‘punitive’ ?scal barriers currently choking the nation’s solar expansion, according to its Director Engr Md Muzibur Rahman.

an of?cial said SREDA has proposed a drastic reduction in import duties for solar equipment. Currently ranging from 60% to a staggering 89%, the authority is urging the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to bring these rates down to a range of 10% to 15%. ‘We want the cost of batteries to fall so that solar power generated during the day can be stored and utilized during the evening peak,’ he stated, noting that the NBR has been informed of the urgency.