The government Monday rolled out a slew of measures to address the energy and power crises that has virtually crippled the country, especially affecting productive and business activities, as parliament took up the problem.
Some of these measures include establishing a land-based LNG terminal at Matarbari, which is expected to supply approximately 1,000 MMCFD gas, a third FSRU (floating storage and regasification unit) at Matarbari under a G-to-G agreement with China, to be completed within 18 months, a 620-megawatt coal-fired power plant using domestic coal at Barapukuria, and move for a 1,320-megawatt second phase of the Payra coal-fired power plant.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed outlined the mega-plan while taking part in discussion initiated by opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman, whose alliance has launched a movement on this and other issues.
Responding to the opposition's proposals, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed assured parliament that no further capacity charge-payments made to power plants regardless of whether or not they generate electricity-would be paid.
"The three new rental power companies approved by the government operate on a 'No Power, No Money' basis," he stated. "There is no capacity charge involved."
The minister defended government actions, noting that an international fuel crisis triggered by the Middle East War emerged shortly after the current administration took office.
"Despite this, fuel prices were not increased by even a single paisa until April 14 to protect farmers during the Boro season. Subsequent price adjustments were made only to curb smuggling, with no harmful impact on the economy or budget," he claimed.
Blaming previous government: Launching a scathing attack on the previous administration, the Home Minister said: "The previous government built one power plant after another without ensuring where gas or fuel would come from. Instead of exploring domestic gas reserves, they increased foreign dependency -- only to nurture their party's tycoons and looters through gas imports."
On the contentious issue of capacity charge, he said: "We inherited this capacity- charge system from the fascist Sheikh Hasina regime. However, the new rental power approvals given by the Prime Minister have no capacity charge attached."
No Immediate Cancellation of Existing Contracts: Regarding cross-border electricity import, the minister explained the government's cautious approach: "We know that overpriced electricity was imported by wasting public money. But if we cancel those contracts now, the matter will go to international arbitration, and power supply will be halted. We are already in a power crisis-we cannot risk losing 1,600 megawatts at this moment. Running a state requires patience."
The Home Minister outlined several long-term initiatives that also include an LPG terminal and storage facility at Matarbari and major plans for renewable-energy-and wind-power projects
"Our six-month timeframe is not for creating these problems but for the work we want to do to solve them," the minister clarified.
He acknowledges that it is not possible to overhaul the "fragile banking and power system inherited from 17 years of misrule" in just six months.
"The Prime Minister has made it clear-the suffering people are enduring was not created by us; it is the result of the debris left behind by the previous government," Minister Ahmed concluded.
Earlier, the opposition offered to provide a team of technical experts to assist the government in resolving the country's severe energy and gas crises, without seeking any "credit" for their contribution, while simultaneously demanding a realistic and specific roadmap rather than mere assurances.
Speaking during a parliamentary discussion on his proposal titled "Taking effective measures to prevent severe disruption to power generation due to acute energy and gas shortages, industrial closures leading to unemployment, and serious disaster to the national economy," Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman highlighted the widening gap between government promises and on-the-ground reality.
"We are hopeful about the government's steps. But confusion arises when we see that the open assurances given in parliament are not being implemented," Shafiqur Rahman stated.
He cited examples such as the continued collection of meter charges and demand charges despite pledges to abolish them, as well as the persistence of "ghost bills" that the government had promised to resolve. "Unless accountability and transparency are ensured, no plan-however well-crafted-will succeed," he warns.
The opposition leader also decried what he described as "daylight robbery" of public funds through capacity charge in the power sector. "We don't want to harm anyone, but this must be addressed. If the nation cannot break free from this vicious cycle, there will be no relief," he said.
Shafiqur Rahman noted that 80 per cent of Bangladesh's population lives in rural areas, and their lives have become unbearable due to prolonged outages.
He urges the government to acknowledge the crisis openly rather than concealing it. "Responsible people standing in this august parliament have said, 'There is no crisis!' Such ridiculous statements should not be used to mock the nation. We must tell the people what we have and what we don't, so the nation can mentally prepare," he said.
Criticizing the 'culture of flattery' in politics, Shafiqur Rahman remarked, "We are inspired by the Prime Minister's simple lifestyle. But those who call him an icon do not follow him. We only see the reverse."
He further observed that under the previous fascist regime of Sheikh Hasina, everyone claimed the leader was holy while those around her were corrupt. "Now that the leader has left, they say those around her were good and it was the leader who destroyed the country…," he stated.
Offering concrete cooperation to the government, the opposition leader proposed if the government seeks assistance, they can connect their technical expert team with them.
"We can work together for the country and the people. There is no question of credit or discredit here. The government can take all the credit-we have no objection. We only want solutions."
