STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Generating 10,000MW of solar power by 2030 is no longer just an ambitious target but a critical necessity for Bangladesh to cope with the global energy crunch, experts said at a panel discussion yesterday.

They made the remarks at the 9th Sanem Annual Economists’ Conference at BRAC Centre Inn in Mohakhali, as the escalating Middle East conflict exposed the country’s vulnerability to volatile global fuel markets.

At the session titled “The Global Energy Crunch Driven by Middle Eastern Conflicts: South Asian Perspective,” Shafiqul Alam, lead energy analyst at Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) Bangladesh, said the country’s dependence on imported primary energy has risen to 62.5 percent from 47.7 percent in 2021.

“Last year, we spent around $12 billion on energy imports,” he said, warning that rising crude oil and spot LNG prices could lead to severe summer load-shedding, higher inflation, and an unsustainable subsidy burden.

To address the crisis, Syeda Sultana Razia of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) urged the government to prioritise local gas exploration, noting the country’s strong 1-in-3.3 success ratio compared to the global average.

She also stressed the need to expedite the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, warning that delays are costing around Tk 12 crore per day in fines.

Highlighting the urgency of renewable energy, Razia said, “Solar is coming, whether the government wants it or not. Look at Pakistan, where consumers and industry shifted without waiting for policy.”

“Solar is our future. We must make the transition easier for investors while ensuring regulations remain both investment- and environment-friendly,” she added.

Md Rafiqul Islam, additional secretary and a member of the Bangladesh Energy and Power Research Council (BEPRC), suggested using the country’s 7.8 billion metric tonnes of coal reserves to run its existing 7,000MW coal-based power capacity.

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