The push comes as the state attempts to reduce its heavy reliance on imported oil, which currently consumes 63.41% of the country’s total petroleum supply.
If the proposed agreement between the United States and Iran is implemented, a major market for oil and energy exports could once again open up for Tehran. This was reported by the US newspaper, The Wall Street Journal. The report states that, considering pre-war production capacity and current market prices, Iran could earn over $60 ...
As Bangladesh races toward its ambitious 2041 renewable energy targets, industry leaders are sounding the alarm: a restrictive tax regime that favors a handful of large corporations could bottleneck the country’s entire green transition. While the proposed 2026-27 fiscal budget introduces several positive initiatives for the power sector, energy experts warn that confining customs and ...
The use of eco-friendly ‘green energy’ or renewable energy in the maintenance and operation of the Padma Bridge, one of the country’s mega-infrastructures, has reached a new milestone. A state-of-the-art solar power system with a capacity of 2.49 megawatt-peak (MWp) has been successfully installed and commissioned at Service Area-2 of the Padma Bridge, which falls ...
Artificial Intelligence is not only responsible for greenhouse gases: its environmental footprint is expanding at a pace that could strain the planet’s natural resources. Data centres, the global infrastructure powering AI, could consume 945 terawatt-hours of electricity annually by 2030—nearly triple the combined annual electricity use of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria, countries collectively home to ...
India rolled out the red carpet for Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with Rodríguez to further strengthen trade relations between the oil-exporting nation and energy-dependent India. Rodríguez leads Venezuela, a country that holds approximately 17 percent of the world’s total crude oil reserves. She took office ...
Electricity Prices Leap: Household, Agricultural, and Industrial Costs Set to Rise Average retail price increased by Tk 1.52 per unit Average price per kilowatt rose from Tk 9.11 to Tk 10.63 Additional cost of 69 poisha per unit for 17.5 million low-income families Fears of new pressure on production costs and inflation Retail electricity prices ...
In a significant push toward corporate sustainability, MetLife Bangladesh has successfully commissioned a 104-kilowatt (kW) on-grid solar power system at its headquarters in Dhaka’s Motijheel commercial district. The newly installed rooftop panels are projected to generate up to 10% of the facility’s total electricity requirements. The transition, announced in a company press release on Thursday, ...
The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has once again significantly increased electricity prices in the country. Under the new announcement, electricity prices have been raised by an average of 16.68 percent at the consumer level and 19.85 percent at the wholesale level. At the same time, transmission charges have also been increased by approximately 24 ...
Residents of non-Bengali camps in Nilphamari’s Syedpur staged a protest by blocking a road to demand an uninterrupted power supply. During the demonstration, they brought chairs and tables and sat on the road for approximately five hours. From Wednesday (June 3) morning, residents of camps 1, 2, and 3 in the town’s Golahat area observed ...
This information was disclosed during a press briefing following a committee meeting on Wednesday. A total of seven procurement proposals were tabled at the meeting. Among them, according to a proposal placed by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, a recommendation has been made to purchase two LNG cargoes from the Switzerland-based firm ‘SOCAR Trading ...
Public suffering has reached extreme levels in the Char Kajal and Char Biswas unions of Patuakhali’s Galachipa upazila due to frequent power outages and low voltage. Locals allege that the power cuts occur up to 26 times within a 24-hour period. Consequently, normal life, business activities, and household chores are being severely disrupted. Locals complain ...
Electricity prices have been raised at both the wholesale and retail levels across the country. Under the new decision, wholesale electricity prices have been increased by 19.85 %, while prices at the consumer level have seen an average hike of 16.68 %. Simultaneously, electricity transmission charges have been increased by 23.96 %. Bangladesh Energy Regulatory ...
The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has announced an increase in electricity prices at both the consumer and wholesale levels. The new tariffs were published at a press conference, where significant price hikes were made across all three areas: consumer, wholesale, and transmission. According to the new decision, the average price of electricity at the ...
The government withdrew all monthly rental and demand charges for prepaid electricity meters on Wednesday across Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Media Cell confirmed the policy shift, framing the removal of the levies as a key component of the administration’s first 100 days of executive operations. Under the previous framework, consumers were subjected to ...
To strengthen the country’s energy security and develop LPG and LNG infrastructure, the government has formed a 9-member ‘Cabinet Sub-Committee on Energy Security’. The Cabinet Division issued a notification to this effect last Monday (June 1). The Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources has been appointed as the chairperson of the committee. The other ...
The government reinstated a 7:00 PM closure mandate for all retail establishments and shopping malls across Bangladesh on Monday. The directive aims to conserve energy as the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources prepares for a potential retail electricity tariff hike. State Minister Anindya Islam Amit confirmed that the administration is reviewing prices to ...
Leader of the Opposition and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman condemned overnight fuel price hikes as public oppression during a Monday visit to Sylhet. He delivered the remarks to journalists after meeting the grieving family of murdered child Fahima in the Sonatala area. Rahman criticised the administration for bypassing parliamentary debate to increase tariffs while ...
A machinery businessman from Taragunia village in Kushtia has developed an alternative fuel for agricultural irrigation using discarded motor oil. Monirul Islam formulates the substitute, termed Method of Alternative Diesel (MAD), by blending chemical boosters with waste lubricants to operate standard diesel engines. The synthesis combines 5 litres of used motor oil with 100 grams ...
The Sevia-China Harbour-Orchard consortium formally proposed generating 30 to 40 megawatts of electricity from municipal garbage at the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) office in Tigerpass on Tuesday. The joint initiative intends to deploy advanced technology to process urban refuse into sustainable energy. Delegates, including the heads of Sevia’s South Asia division, China Harbour Bangladesh, and ...
International crude oil prices fell to a two-week low on Monday on optimism surrounding a potential peace agreement between the United States and Iran. Although significant geopolitical disagreements persist, the prospects of a diplomatic breakthrough triggered a sharp decline in global energy benchmarks. According to Reuters, Brent crude declined by USD 4.71% or 4.55% to ...
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda pledged a USD 5 billion financing package over five years during a meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka yesterday. The international lender announced the capital injection to secure national economic stability and stimulate nationwide employment generation. Under the proposed Integrated Growth Network Development Initiative, the institution ...
National inflation declined to 8.71% following government economic initiatives, authorities announced in Dhaka on Monday. The Prime Minister’s Press Wing released the data to mark the administration’s first 100 days in office. Dr Mahdi Amin, Advisor to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, confirmed the restoration of uninterrupted fuel and ...
Chief Whip of the National Parliament, Md. Nurul Islam has stated that the government is focusing on expanding the use of renewable energy to achieve long-term stability and self-reliance in the power sector. He made these remarks on Sunday following a meeting on renewable energy management at the parliament. The Chief Whip said that the ...
At least Tk 35,000 crore in private investments across various economic and industrial zones in the country is virtually stalled due to a gas connection crisis. With numerous factories that are ready for production lying idle for years, employment generation has come to a halt, the debt burden on entrepreneurs is mounting, and the financing ...
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inspected electric vehicles manufactured by Bangladesh Auto Industries Limited, which were brought to the Prime Minister’s Office in the capital’s Tejgaon. During the inspection, he personally test-drove a sports utility vehicle (SUV) and a covered van. The Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary, Hasan Shiplu, stated that the Prime Minister praised the ...
For the first time in Bangladesh, locally manufactured electric vehicles are set to hit the market commercially this coming July. Unlocking new potential in the country’s industrial sector, Bangladesh Auto Industries Limited is gearing up to introduce a range of electric cars, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles. Ahead of the formal launch, the locally made electric ...
Allegations have surfaced at a public hearing on proposals to increase electricity prices that the burden of inefficiency, system loss, and capacity charges in the power sector is being forced upon ordinary people. Speakers stated that consumers should not bear the responsibility for mismanagement in the power sector; rather, initiatives should be taken on how ...
Although the country’s power generation capacity has increased, it is not possible to generate electricity according to demand due to the fuel crisis, the Power Division has stated. As a result, load shedding is increasing amid the ongoing heatwave. According to data from the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, the maximum demand for ...
To intensify oil and gas exploration activities in the Bay of Bengal, the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation is going to invite international tenders for a total of 26 blocks in deep and shallow waters tomorrow, Sunday. The deadline for submitting tenders has been set for November 30. Relevant sources from the Energy Division ...
To meet the country’s energy demands, the oil tanker ‘MT Fossil’ carrying another 100,000 tons of crude fuel oil has reached the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port. Coming from the Port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, the tanker arrived in Bangladesh using an alternative route, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. Crude lightering operations ...
Following the ceasefire in the Middle East, fuel oil prices have started falling in the international market. This has also impacted the domestic market. In line with this, the price of jet fuel, the aviation fuel used in the country, has been reduced for the second time this month. This time, it has decreased by ...
Following the fuel oil price hike, anxiety and uncertainty are now growing among businesses and entrepreneurs surrounding the proposal to increase electricity prices. Industry insiders say that production costs in various sectors, including fuel, transportation, and raw materials, have increased significantly just this year. If electricity prices are raised amidst this, it will become difficult ...
Running a national utility infrastructure under the shadow of a massive financial crater is a daunting reality. On Tuesday afternoon, Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku laid bare the stark condition of Bangladesh’s power sector, revealing that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left behind a crippling debt of Tk 56,000 ...
In the power sector, “system loss” has long served as a convenient euphemism for institutionalized waste and outright theft. From the power plant to the consumer’s meter, electricity is quietly siphoned off under the guise of technical faults. Despite repeated discussions on curbing illegal connections, meter tampering, and billing fraud, tangible action remains elusive. The ...
The ongoing tensions in the Middle East surrounding Iran have now directly impacted India’s fuel market. Due to an abnormal surge in crude oil prices in the international market, the country’s state-owned oil marketing companies have once again increased the prices of petrol and diesel. This marks the third price hike within the last eight ...
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has expressed renewed concern over the supply and pricing of fuel oil in the global market. The agency’s chief, Fatih Birol, has warned that due to rising demand, depleting reserves, and a decline in oil exports from the Middle East, the global oil market could reach a ‘red zone’ or ...
To inject new momentum into oil and gas exploration in the Bay of Bengal, the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources Corporation (Petrobangla) is set to invite international tenders this coming Sunday. Foreign companies will be offered exploration opportunities across a total of 26 blocks, including 15 deep-sea and 11 shallow-sea blocks. To boost the ...
Deep beneath the soil of Gazipur lies a subterranean lifeline. In a defiant move to shatter the country’s crippling reliance on expensive, volatile imported liquefied natural gas (LNG), Bangladesh has officially launched a relentless pursuit of its own buried wealth. Yesterday, the battle lines for energy sovereignty were drawn. State Minister for Power, Energy, and ...
A new record has been set for electricity generation in the country. Power Grid Bangladesh PLC stated that a peak of 17,200 megawatts of electricity was generated on the national grid at 9:00 PM on Wednesday. This is the highest-ever generation record for the country’s power sector to date. The previous maximum generation record was ...
After being stranded in the Persian Gulf for more than two months due to the Iran war and military tensions, two Chinese oil supertankers have crossed the blockaded Strait of Hormuz. Amid the tense situation in the Middle East, two Chinese supertankers carrying 4 million barrels of fuel oil have passed through the blockaded Strait ...
The global fuel oil market, which surged suddenly due to Middle East tensions surrounding Iran, has seen some relief following a shift in the United States’ stance. Mounting military tensions in the Middle East centered around Iran had caused severe volatility in international oil prices. However, some stability has returned to the market after US ...
A brewing financial conflict between two state-run energy giants is threatening the stability of Bangladesh’s rural power infrastructure. The Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB), suffocating under mounting financial deficits, is actively pressuring the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (REB) to absorb higher wholesale electricity costs—a move REB officials warn could collapse the entire rural distribution network. ...
As the nation grapples with an emerging energy deficit, a special parliamentary committee has reviewed critical infrastructure progress, the expansion of renewable energy, and sweeping updates to gas marketing policies. Facing mounting pressure over the country’s energy landscape, the 13th National Parliament’s special committee convened its second critical meeting on Tuesday. Chaired by the Minister ...
The government is planning to impose higher wholesale electricity rates on 21 profitable Palli Bidyut Samitys (PBS). Sector experts warn this regulatory shift could destabilise the decades-old cross-subsidy system that currently sustains rural power distribution across Bangladesh. Under a proposal submitted to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) aims ...
The anvils are in danger of falling silent. In a desperate plea to the government, the architects of Bangladesh’s infrastructure—our steel manufacturers—are sounding the alarm against a proposed hike in electricity tariffs. They warn that turning up the dial on power costs will be the final death blow to an industry already suffocating under a ...
Small export-oriented garment factories across Bangladesh are increasingly installing rooftop solar systems to satisfy stringent European trade mandates. This rapid transition ensures long-term business survival as Western brands threaten to redirect purchasing orders from non-compliant facilities. A recent survey by research platform Mapped revealed that 1,107 out of 3,320 garment operations have adopted solar ...
The World Bank approved USD 350 million in additional financing on Friday to help Bangladesh secure liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports. State-owned Petrobangla will utilise the funds to manage mounting external payment obligations. The fresh capital injection is an extension of the Energy Sector Security Enhancement Project, which originally secured a USD 350 million approval ...
Additional Secretary Md Abdul Mannan assumed charge as the chairman of the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla) on Sunday. The Energy and Mineral Resources Division assigned him the executive role alongside his existing duties in the planning wing. An administrative directive from the division’s Administration-1 branch formalised the immediate appointment. The order stipulates ...
The Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning, Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, stated that the power and energy sector was pushed toward oligarchs during the fallen government’s tenure. Instead of enhancing domestic capacity, an import-dependent energy sector was established. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir said that in the past, the energy sector fattened the oligarchs. Industrialists ...
Shaking off nearly two decades of stagnation, the Bangladesh government is gearing up for a major push into offshore energy exploration. Official sources within the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources confirm that an international tender for deep-sea oil, gas, and mineral exploration in the Bay of Bengal is expected to be floated within ...
The government has increased the retail prices of diesel, kerosene, octane, and petrol across the country, citing global energy market volatility and escalating import costs. According to a government notification, the revised tariff structure takes effect immediately, pushing domestic fuel prices to a historic high. Under the new pricing, diesel has been raised by Tk ...
The Energy and Mineral Resources Division denied media reports on Friday claiming the United States granted Bangladesh a waiver to import Russian petroleum. An official press release explicitly rejected allegations regarding an impending bilateral diesel purchase. Unverified news articles published earlier that day alleged a new 60-day special exemption took effect on 11 April ...
Due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, a severe diesel crisis has emerged in Faridpur’s Sadarpur upazila, much like the rest of the country. Farmers are in dire straits as they are unable to irrigate their lands due to the lack of diesel. Every day, farmers rush to fuel pumps and local dealers ...
During a supplementary question in parliament, Hasnat Abdullah stated that the Power and Energy Minister had issued a statement claiming there was no fuel crisis and that those visiting the pumps were receiving proper service. However, it is evident that pumps are gradually shutting down. Today, pumps in Sylhet have shut down. There are long ...
Due to maintenance and development work, power supply will remain suspended for 9 consecutive hours from 8 AM to 5 PM today, Saturday (December 20), in various areas of Sylhet and Rangpur cities. The Sylhet Power Development Board (PDB) has informed that this power outage will be implemented for transformer maintenance and repair, transmission line ...
Fears have emerged regarding the future of the publicly listed Khulna Power Company Limited. The audit firm has stated that this uncertainty has arisen because the government has not renewed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with two of the company’s power plants after their expiration. Following the audit of Khulna Power’s financial report for the ...
Bangladesh is reaping the benefits of various initiatives undertaken over the past decade to enhance energy efficiency. If this trend continues, the country could achieve its energy efficiency goals ahead of schedule—according to information revealed in a report by the international research organization, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). The report, titled ...
Relevant authorities have conducted a drive to disconnect illegal gas connections in the capital’s Mohammadpur area. During the operation, in addition to severing the illegal connections, fines amounting to Tk 120,000 were imposed. This information was detailed in a press release issued by the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources today, Wednesday (December 17). ...
Baraka Power Limited’s power plant in Sylhet has been shut down following the expiration of its Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Additionally, auditors have expressed concern regarding the company’s business future after it issued substantial unsecured loans to a subsidiary. Currently lacking any income from power generation, this listed power company is operating in reliance on ...
The country is likely to face a severe electricity shortage during the upcoming irrigation and summer seasons, officials warn. The holy month of Ramadan also begins in March; at that time, peak demand could reach 18,000 megawatts while maximum possible generation may be only about 14,000 megawatts. There is currently no arrangement to cover the ...
The price of all types of fuel has been increased by Tk 1 per liter. Among them, the price of diesel and kerosene has been increased by Tk 1, setting the new price at Tk 105. Furthermore, the price of octane has been increased by Tk 1 to Tk 126 per liter, and petrol has ...
The Ministry of Shipping is seeking a port channel maintenance fee against the transportation of imported coal for the country’s thermal power plants. All port authorities in the country have requested this fee to maintain the navigability of the channels. A power plant authority is even unable to unload coal from a ship that recently ...
Nepal began supplying electricity to Bangladesh on Friday (November 15). Known as the ‘Daughter of the Himalayas’, the nation has exported electricity to Bangladesh for the first time, becoming the third country to do so after India. However, Nepal’s electricity will be available for only one day this year. According to a report by the ...
