United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday sought support from business leaders and the media in implementing the government’s plans to address the country’s power and energy challenges, saying the government should be given an opportunity to execute its plans without instability during its tenure. He also hoped that gas supply to industries will return to its previous level from Tuesday evening. Speaking at a three-hour view-exchange meeting with business leaders and media personalities at his office at the Bangladesh Secretariat, the Prime Minister warned that any instability in the country could hurt business, trade and the economy, said Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu. “The people will decide at the appropriate time whom they want to entrust with running the government. But whichever government is in office at a given time should be allowed to complete its planned work,” he said. Describing the current crisis in the power and energy sector as a problem inherited by the government, Tarique Rahman said it will not be possible to resolve it fully within six months or a year. “But we have identified the problems, prepared plans and are now at the stage of implementing those plans,” he said. The Prime Minister said the government is working according to specific timelines to restore normalcy in power and energy supplies. “If we can implement these plans, not only business and trade but the overall economy will benefit,” he said. “We hope, Insha-Allah, from tomorrow evening the gas supply will return to something like the level it was at one to one and a half months ago,” Tarique Rahman added. State Minister for Power and Energy Aninda Islam Amit made a presentation titled “Challenges and Future Roadmap of Bangladesh’s Power and Energy Sector” at the meeting. Explaining the current gas crisis, the Prime Minister said gas supplies were disrupted after an accident at one of the country’s two floating LNG terminals, affecting industries and other sectors. He said the problem caused by the accident has already been resolved. Tarique Rahman said the government is also taking steps to install a third floating LNG terminal to address the supply shortfall. He said preparations for the installation of another terminal on a government-to-government basis were largely completed over the past month and work on it will begin soon. The government expects to connect the third terminal to the gas supply system by December 2027, the Prime Minister said. He said the problems in the power sector are also longstanding. After taking office, the government reviewed the problems, held discussions with the relevant stakeholders and prepared plans to address them, Tarique Rahman said, adding that implementation of those plans is now underway. “Planning for anything and implementing it takes time. This problem in energy and power has been inherited. It is not possible to solve it within six months or a year simply by wishing to do so,” he said. The government also presented business leaders with tentative timelines for completing various planned initiatives. The Prime Minister said the timelines could shift slightly during implementation, but the government has a clear plan and timeframe before it. Seeking cooperation from the business community, he said any damage to business and industry will have an overall impact on the country’s economy. “So, solving the power and energy problem is not only a matter of interest for the business community. It is linked to the overall economic progress of the country,” Tarique Rahman said.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday proposed in Parliament the formation of a 10-member joint committee, seeking five names from the opposition to work together on finding ‘rational solutions’ to the country’s ongoing energy crisis in the national interest. The proposed body will be headed by Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku and include five members each from the treasury and opposition benches. “We have decided to form a five-member committee from our side. I request the Leader of the Opposition to provide five names so that the 10-member committee can sit together and discuss the issues,”the Prime Minister told the House. He said the government will seriously consider any recommendations made by the committee and will take effective steps to implement them if they were found to be feasible. Referring to a proposal raised by the Opposition Leader a day earlier, the Prime Minister said both sides agreed to work together to solve the country’s ongoing situation. Describing it (energy crisis) as a global problem, he said the problem is affecting many countries. The Leader of the House said the Opposition Leader expressed his concern about this in his speech (Wednesday) and proposed on his behalf that he has some suggestions and the government and opposition parties can work together on those issues. “I said in my speech that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is always ready to hold any discussion with anyone in the interest of the country and the people of the country,” he said. From the government side, the proposed members include Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku, State Minister Anindya Islam Amit, and MPs ABM Ashraf Uddin Nizan (Laxmipur-4), Moinul Islam Khan (Manikganj-2 and    Miah Nuruddin Ahmad Apu (Shariatpur-3). In response, Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman welcomed the initiative, thanking the Prime Minister for taking the matter positively. He said they would place their nominated names soon. “We hope Parliament will become the centre for resolving national issues. This is a new beginning for this House,” he said adding that the opposition would soon submit its five names. As Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad asked the Leader of the House who would be the chairman of the proposed 10-member committee, Tarique Rahman proposed the name of the energy minister.   Hafiz Uddin Ahmad expressed hope that the opposition would provide the names quickly, noting that the current parliament session is set to go into recess by the end of the month. He said the move has created optimism among  people, adding that cooperation between the government and opposition can help resolve national challenges effectively.