Category: Energy and Power

Valiant Freedom Fighter Iqbal Hassan Mahmood, MP, was born on 10 May 1950 in a distinguished Muslim family in Sirajganj. He is the son of Abdullah Al-Mahmud and Begum Abeda Khatun. His father was a renowned political ?gure who served as Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and Water Resources in the then Pakistan government, and was also a Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, the Bengal Legislative Assembly, and the Indian Legislative Council. From an early age, he was deeply in?uenced by his family’s legacy of public service and leadership.

academic Excellence and Early Leadership Throughout his academic career, Iqbal Hassan Mahmood demonstrated outstanding merit and leadership qualities.

in 1975, he completed both his Bachelor’s (Honours) and Master’s degrees from the University of Dhaka. During his student life, he actively engaged in social, cultural, and political activities, shaping his future commitment to national service. His spouse, Rumana Mahmood, is a former Member of Parliament. He is the proud father of one son and one daughter. Role in National Movements and the Liberation War Iqbal Hassan Mahmood played a signi?cant role in the historic movements that shaped the nation’s destiny.

as a member of the East Pakistan Students’ Union, he actively participated in the historic ElevenPoint Movement of 1969.

in 1971, he joined the Great War of Liberation, contributing to Bangladesh’s struggle for independence with courage and patriotism. His participation in the Liberation War remains a de?ning chapter of his life and public service. Parliamentary and Political Career In the post-independence period, Mr. Mahmood continued his active engagement in national politics. He was elected as a Member of Parliament four times through direct vote, re?ecting the trust and con?dence placed in him by the people. He served as a Member of the Law Commission and made notable contributions at both organizational and policy-making levels as a Member of the National Standing Committee of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. His political philosophy is ?rmly rooted in democracy, rule of law, institutional governance, and people-centered development. Leadership in Industry, Commerce, and Trade Alongside his distinguished political career, Iqbal Hassan Mahmood has accumulated over four decades of experience in industry and commerce. He has served as a sponsor director in numerous industrial ventures and played a pivotal role in advancing Bangladesh’s private sector development. He was a former Director of the Bangladesh Shilpa Rin Sangstha (BSRS), a leading industrial ?nancing institution of the country. He also served as President of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), contributing signi?cantly to trade promotion and policy advocacy. His leadership roles in major industrial enterprises include: ? Managing Director of Apex Weaving and Finishing Mills Limited ? Former Director of Apex Tannery Limited ? Former Deputy Managing Director of Apex Foods Limited ? Former Deputy Managing Director of Apex Spinning and Knitting Mills Limited Since 1978, he has represented Bangladesh in various international forums, promoting the country’s exportoriented industries and strengthening global trade relations. Commitment to National Development The life and career of Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood re?ect dedication, patriotism, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment to democratic values. His contributions to politics, industry, and national development exemplify a lifelong pursuit of progress and prosperity for Bangladesh

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has repealed the 2009 Endangerment Finding that classi?ed greenhouse gases as a threat to public health, removing the legal basis used to regulate carbon emissions under the Clean Air Act.

the EPA issued a ?nal rule recently formally repealing the 2009 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Endangerment Finding.

the move, announced by Administrator Lee Zeldin alongside President Donald Trump in the White House, eliminates the scienti?c and legal prerequisite used for nearly two decades to regulate carbon emissions and provide federal support for the transition to clean energy. By rescinding the ?nding, the EPA has effectively removed the statutory basis that allowed the agency to regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act. While the immediate focus of the announcement was the elimination of vehicle emission standards, the decision has immediate implications for the solar and energy storage sectors.

An environmental approval is paving the way for the development of a lique?ed natural gas (LNG) project in Indonesia’s Masela block, which is expected to play a signi?cant role in Asia’s energy security.

inpex Masela, a joint venture between Inpex and the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), has received environmental approval for the Abadi LNG project from the government of Indonesia based on the environmental and social impact assessment.

the approval for the LNG project, which is currently in the front-end engineering and design (FEED) stage, covers the core elements of the project from drilling operations to the construction and operation of production and processing facilities, as well as the natural gas liquefaction plant, marking what is perceived to be a signi?cant milestone in the development of the project.

The Department of Environment (DoE) has ?ned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) Tk 9.6 lakh for illegally cutting a hill in Chattogram’s Jamalkhan area.

the penalty was imposed recently following a hearing at the DoE’s Chattogram Metropolitan of?ce.

the order was issued by Sonia Sultana, director of the department.

according to DoE of?cials, an investigation team visited the site on February 22 following allegations of hill cutting at a location known as ‘Joy Pahar.’ During the inspection, of?cials found evidence that approximately 9,600 cubic feet of hill soil had been removed. Md Muktadir Hasan, assistant director of the DoE’s Chattogram Metropolitan of?ce, said BPC was constructing a rest house on the hill and had removed soil to build a retaining wall at its slope.

after the evidence was established, BPC of?cials were summoned for a hearing.

two representatives of the agency attended and admitted to the hill cutting, Muktadir added.

Google plans to deploy a 300 MW/30 GWh iron-air battery system in Minnesota under an agreement with Xcel Energy, pairing it with 1.6 GW of new wind and solar. Google has reached a de?nitive agreement with Xcel Energy to deploy a massive 300 MW/30 GWh iron-air battery system in Pine Island, Minnesota. The project, using technology from Form Energy, is set to become the largest battery system by energy capacity announced globally, providing a blueprint for how Big Tech intends to ?rm up intermittent renewables to meet the relentless power demands of the AI era.

the project is a cornerstone of the new ‘Clean Energy Accelerator’ agreement, a regulatory framework that allows Google to cover the costs of the deployment directly. Xcel Energy said the framework is designed to ensure the 100-hour longduration energy storage (LDES) system, paired with 1,400 MW of wind and 200 MW of solar, does not impact the rates of its residential customers.

The government has asked to keep Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations close for six hours from 3 pm to 9 pm every day.

the decision was taken to ensure uninterrupted gas supply in the power plants in the evening time during the holy month of Ramadan. Deputy Secretary of Energy Division Muhammad Nazmul Haque said the energy division has issued a noti?cation recently in this regard. Nazmul Haque said the decision was taken due to low pressure of gas in the distribution network. The decision will remain effective till March 14, the noti?cation said. CNG and ?lling stations will remain open round the clock from March 15 to 25 to ensure fuel supply for vehicles on the highways during Eid vacation.

after Eid-Ul-Fitr the CNG stations will remain open as usual with closure for only three hours from 6 pm to 9 pm everyday from March 26.

The 1,320 MW coal?red power plant in Banshkhali is facing a potential shutdown as it has been unable to unload coal from an anchored vessel due to non-payment of outstanding bills.

the situation has raised concerns over disruptions in electricity generation, particularly during the ongoing irrigation season when uninterrupted power supply is critical. SS Power Plant, Banshkhali is a join venture China and Bangladesh.

according to Ebadat Hossain Bhuiyan, Chief Financial Of?cer of SS Power I Limited, the company operating the plant, a coal-laden vessel has been anchored in outer anchorage waters for several days.

the coal cannot be unloaded because a Letter of Credit (LC) has not been opened due to unpaid dues.

Four members of a family including a woman and a child were burned when a ?re broke out apparently from a gas leak at their rented house in Hazaribagh area recently.

the victims are Sheikh Roman, 35, his wife Pinky Akter, 32, their three-yearold son Mayan, and Roman’s brother-in-law Apu, 23. The family was living on the ground ?oor of a building at East Rayar Bazar under Hazaribagh. Md Mamun, who brought the victims to National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute, said the ?re broke out following an explosion in the house. Local residents rescued the victims and took them to the hospital.

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood has described electricitypurchase agreements signed during the previous Awami League government with India, foreign entities, and private companies as a serious threat to the country’s independence and sovereignty. He said the nation’s freedom and sovereignty are closely linked to the power sector, yet the former government repeatedly signed contracts that went against national interests without giving the matter due consideration. Speaking to journalists at his of?ce in the Secretariat in the capital recently, the minister addressed issues including the country’s electricity situation, the energy crisis, lique?ed natural gas (LNG) imports, and arrears owed to private power producers.

on power purchase agreements (PPAs), Mr Mahmood said sovereignty is directly tied to such contracts, and in many cases, the nation’s sovereignty itself is effectively pledged as a guarantee.

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on 30 January honored 433 schools from across India as the country’s ‘greenest’ institutions at the Green School Awards 2025-26, recognizing their commitment to sustainable campus practices and environmental learning.

The awards are conferred annually under CSE’s Green Schools Program (GSP), a 21-year-old environmental education initiative that enables students to conduct a rigorous, on-campus environmental audit of their own schools, to measure the effi cacy of resource management and green practices in the school.