Govt working to strengthen energy security: Titumir

Prime Minister's Adviser on Finance and Planning Prof Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir today (8 September) said that the government is taking a number of initiatives to strengthen the country's energy security, including setting up a land-based regasification unit at Matarbari and exploring offshore gas blocks.

"The government is working on various fronts to ensure energy security, including establishing a land-based regasification unit at Matarbari and exploring offshore gas blocks," he said.

The adviser was addressing a seminar titled "Electricity, Energy Situation and the Way Forward" as the chief guest at BRAC University's Merul Badda campus in the city, said a press release.

The seminar was organised by the university's newly launched Centre for Energy and Logistics (CEL) to discuss Bangladesh's electricity and energy challenges and identify possible ways forward.

Titumir said ensuring a stable and reliable energy supply was crucial for sustaining economic activities and meeting the country's growing electricity demand.

The government's initiatives are aimed at diversifying energy sources and strengthening infrastructure to reduce vulnerabilities in the energy supply system, he said.

The adviser's remarks came amid discussions among policymakers, energy experts and academics over Bangladesh's growing dependence on imported fuel, gas-supply disruptions, rising generation costs and the need for greater use of renewable energy.

In his keynote presentation, Shafiqul Alam, lead energy analyst for Bangladesh at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), said imported, dollar-denominated fossil fuels remained a major challenge for the country's energy sector.

He said peak electricity demand had reached 19,027 megawatts, while warning that gas-supply disruptions, import dependence and rising generation costs posed significant risks to energy security. He also highlighted the potential of renewable energy, rooftop solar and energy efficiency to address the country's energy challenges.

Ahamedul Karim Chowdhury, managing director of Container Company of Bangladesh Limited, said energy security should also be viewed as a logistics challenge, involving the systems required to transport energy from suppliers to consumers. He discussed LNG and petroleum supply chains, infrastructure readiness and measures to build resilience in the energy sector.

A panel discussion was also held with participation from Professor Dr Abdul Hasib Chowdhury of BUET, Azam J Chowdhury, managing director of MJL Bangladesh Limited and chairman of East Coast Group, Siddique Zobair, senior energy adviser at the Asian Development Bank, Faiz Taiyeb, acting chief technology officer of Ophanix Analytics, Shahriar Ahmed Chowdhury, director of the Centre for Energy Research at UIU, and Dr Sebastian Groh, professor at BRAC Business School.

BRAC University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Arshad Mahmud Chowdhury and CEL Director Dr M Fouzul Kabir Khan also spoke at the event. Dr Sultan Hafeez Rahman, chairman of the CEL Advisory Council and a member of the university's Board of Trustees, delivered the welcome address.

Former Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, former interim government adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Treasurer Ariful Islam and BRAC Business School Dean Dr M Mujibul Haque, among others, were present.

The seminar also highlighted Bangladesh's efforts towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy and SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure.