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Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Adviser to the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, has assured that load shedding will remain limited and manageable throughout the summer.
“Our projection is 18,000 megawatts. We hope to manage it quite well,” he mentioned.
Energy Advisor made the remarks while speaking at a seminar titled “Energy Crisis: Way Forward” organised by the Forum for Energy Reporters Bangladesh (FERB) at the Bijoy Hall of the Power Division in Dhaka on Saturday.
The adviser emphasised that energy distribution will be balanced between rural and urban areas. “We will be able to import energy as necessary and must ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply,” he added.
“This is a short-term government. It takes time to accomplish major tasks in the energy sector. We have prioritised clearing outstanding payments, as no country will continue business without timely settlements,” he said.
Fouzul Kabir Khan also stressed the need to reduce system loss by 50% within the next two months. “We are fixing leakages in transmission lines, and steps are being taken to curb gas theft. Additionally, we have decided to import LNG under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model,” he noted.
Highlighting financial reforms, he said unnecessary expenditures in energy projects have been minimized. “Next year, we won’t have to settle outstanding dues—only current payments will be necessary. Subsidies will not increase; rather, they are expected to decrease. We had fallen into a pit, but now we are trying to climb out,” he said.
Regarding oil and gas exploration in the Bay of Bengal, he mentioned that no companies participated in the recent bidding process. “If the Ministry gives final approval, we will move forward with a re-tender,” he said.
Responding to a question about why the pricing of petroleum products has not been handed over to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), the adviser explained, “We are considering this. The ministry remains involved because oil prices fluctuate sharply. Factors like regional market prices and subsidies must also be taken into account.”
