PM decides to form 10-member committee with opposition to address energy crisis
The committee will be headed by Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku and include five members each from the treasury and opposition benches.
Highlights:
- Energy minister to head the committee
- Govt to consider and implement feasible recommendations
- Both sides welcome bipartisan cooperation
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has decided to form a 10-member 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.
"A five-member team has already been formed from our side, and the committee will be constituted once the opposition nominates its five representatives," the prime minister told parliament after the question-answer session today (23 April).
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"The government will accept any viable and acceptable proposals put forward by the committee and will take effective steps to implement them if they are found to be feasible," he added.
The committee will be headed by Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku and include five members each from the treasury and opposition benches.
Referring to a proposal raised by the Opposition Leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman a day earlier, the prime minister said both sides agreed to work together to solve the country's ongoing situation.
From the government side, the other members include State Minister Aninda Islam Amit, and MPs ABM Ashraf Uddin Nizan (Laxmipur-4), Moinul Islam Khan (Manikganj-2 and Miah Nuruddin Ahmad Apu (Shariatpur-3).
Shafiqur welcomed the initiative and confirmed that his party has nominated five members: Dhaka-12 MP Saiful Alam Khan Milon, Chapainawabganj-3 MP Md Nurul Islam, Dhaka-16 MP Md Abdul Baten, Cumilla-4 Mp and NCP leader Md Abul Hasnat, and Sylhet-5 MP and Khelafat Majlis leader Abul Hasan.
"Thanks to the prime minister. This parliament will be the focal point for resolving all national issues," he said, adding that cooperation between both sides is essential to address the crisis.
During the discussion, Shafiqur also suggested that load management efforts should reflect fairness across sectors, proposing that even institutions like parliament be considered in broader load-shedding strategies – though not during active sessions.
Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad expressed optimism following the announcement, saying such cooperation between government and opposition offers hope for resolving national challenges.
