CA for setting up independent institution on power, energy

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday instructed the authorities concerned to set up an independent institution for conducting research on power and energy sectors, saying that it must not operate under a ministry.

“There must be a separate institution for research and development. It will not operate under a ministry. It will be a separate and strong entity, which will maintain communication with all relevant global institutions and support the government in policy formulation,” he said.

The Chief Adviser gave the instruction while presiding over a meeting on the Power and Energy Sector Master Plan 2026–2050 at the State Guest House Jamuna in the capital, said the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing.

At the outset of the meeting, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources presented a “Master Plan” on sustainable power to the Chief Adviser.

The master plan aims to ensure reliable, affordable, and sustainable primary energy and electricity for the people of Bangladesh through optimal use of domestic resources, enhanced energy security, improved efficiency, and environmental responsibility.

Prof Yunus thanked all concerned for their detailed presentations, saying, “This sector is the lifeline of Bangladesh’s economy. If it becomes strong, the economy will stand firm. It affects the lives of every citizen.”

Noting that everything, what was done in the sector in the previous time, was fragmented, he said, “We must think everything from the beginning. Just because something has been done a certain way does not mean it must continue”.

Many projects were implemented in the wrong locations and with flawed structures, the Chief Adviser said, adding, “This must not be repeated. We have to ensure that everything will remain within a framework and rules. That's why research centers are essential”.

Prof Yunus also instructed officials to conduct research on alternative energy sources.

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin, Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb and senior officials of the ministries concerned attended the meeting.

During the meeting, policy gaps in the previous three master plans were identified and briefly reviewed. Discussions were held on implementing the new master plan in three phases- Phase-I (2026–2030), Phase-II (2030–2040), and Phase-III (2040–2050).

Under the first-track priority projects from 2026 to 2030, plans include launching an offshore exploration round, boosting gas production, ensuring LNG supply security, expanding refinery capacity, and increasing strategic energy storage capacity.

Long-term strategic projects, including offshore gas development, large-scale refining and petrochemical industry expansion, development of hydrogen and ammonia infrastructure, geothermal energy development, and tidal and ocean wave-based power generation, were discussed in the meeting.

The ministry informed the meeting that the master plan outlines how, despite rapid growth in the energy sector, climate impacts can be reduced by increasing efficiency and ensuring the use of clean fuels while creating significant economic opportunities.

Electricity demand is projected to rise from 17 gigawatts to 59 gigawatts by 2050, creating environmental and social pressures.

Although total emissions will increase due to higher generation, the use of cleaner and more efficient technologies will significantly reduce emissions per unit of electricity—from 0.62 to 0.35 tonnes of CO? per megawatt-hour.

By 2050, through climate-related initiatives, it will be possible to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 64.5 million tons and total carbon dioxide emissions by 1,600 million tons.

As part of the master plan, several reforms have already been implemented. These included the repeal of the Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provisions) Act-2010 (commonly known as the Quick Rental Act), adoption of the Merchant Power Policy-2025, and approval of the Renewable Energy Policy-2025, Rooftop Solar Programme-2025, and Net Metering Guidelines-2025.

Some recommendations on power generation, transmission, supply, environmental and economic sustainability, and institutional reforms were presented in the meeting while goals have been set to make the primary energy sector more secure, efficient, less import-dependent, and financially sustainable by 2050.

According to the master plan, an investment of $70-85 billion will be required in the energy sector and $107.25 billion in the power sector over the period 2026-2050.