PM: ENERGY ROADMAP KEY TO $1T ECONOMY GOAL BY 2034

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman told parliament on Wednesday that a 10-year master plan for the energy and power sector is being finalised, as part of the government’s drive to build a $1 trillion economy by 2034.
Responding to a supplementary question from Cumilla-10 lawmaker Md Mobasher Alam Bhuiyan, Tarique said the roadmap would be presented to parliament by the energy minister once finalised, and that a reliable, sustainable energy supply was critical to the trillion-dollar target. 
That target, he said, extended beyond GDP growth to macroeconomic stability, investment, employment, exports, human resource development, fiscal discipline and balanced regional development. 
The government has adopted a three-stage strategy, dubbed “3R” – Recovery and Stabilisation, Restoration, and Reconstruction for Acceleration. 

The first year focuses on reversing economic decline; the following three years aim to rebuild capacity in revenue collection, private investment, banking, exports, employment, agriculture, energy and infrastructure; and the final five years target structural transformation, innovation-led growth and stronger institutions.
The government aims to raise foreign direct investment to 2.7% of GDP and total investment to 40% of GDP by FY31, while lifting the revenue-to-GDP ratio from 8 to 11% and the tax-to-GDP ratio from 6.8% to 9.6%. 
Tarique said deregulation and ease-of-doing-business reforms were under way, including the BanglaBiz digital platform for business approvals and an FDI heat map covering 19 priority sectors.

Rooftop solar incentives
The government will buy electricity from rooftop solar systems installed within the next six months at Tk10.15 per unit for three years, Tarique said – a rate that, against an estimated generation cost of Tk6-7 per unit, could yield investors returns of up to 45%. 
A fund is being set up to support small businesses installing rooftop solar, alongside tax concessions on panels, inverters and batteries; the Internal Resources Division exempted these items from customs, regulatory and supplementary duty, and advance tax, on 8 June. 
Rooftop systems have already been installed at deputy commissioner and divisional commissioner offices nationwide under the National Rooftop Solar Programme, and minimum quality standards are being drawn up for imported lithium batteries.

Gas exploration and LNG
Tarique attributed the energy crisis largely to years of inadequate domestic gas exploration and rising reliance on imports. 
Of a planned 150 wells, drilling and workover on 30 have been completed, adding roughly 140 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) to the grid, with 85 mmcfd more expected from seven ongoing wells. 
The government also plans 4,500 line-kilometres of 2D and 4,200 square kilometres of 3D seismic surveys, and is procuring two new rigs for Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Ltd (BAPEX). 
Bids have been invited under the newly approved Offshore Model Production Sharing Contract 2026, while the onshore equivalent awaits approval.
On LNG, talks are under way to build a floating terminal at Kutubjom, off Maheshkhali, expected to begin supplying regasified gas by December 2028; imports are projected to rise by 600 mmcfd within two years. 
Feasibility studies have begun for one or two further floating terminals near Payra or Mongla, or along the south-western coast, alongside plans to expand solar, wind, hydro and waste-to-energy generation.

Power crisis: ‘No scope to hide the truth’
Presenting a starker picture, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindyas Islam Amit told the House the country had recently endured its highest power deficit in 55 years, peaking at 3,700 megawatts (MW) on 9 August – blaming nearly two decades of “faulty policies” under the former Awami League government and sudden volatility in international energy markets.
Responding to a question from Chapainawabganj-3 MP Nurul Islam Bulbul, Amit said “there is no scope to hide the truth behind mere rhetoric,” and apologised for the hardship caused, promising a noticeable improvement within 15 days.
Bangladesh’s 12,000 MW of installed gas-based generation capacity requires 1,900 mmcfd of gas, he said, but combined domestic production and imported LNG currently supply only 2,300 to 2,700 mmcfd, forcing the government to balance supply between industry, power and households. 
Under Bangladesh’s contract with Adani Power for 1,600 MW, it is currently receiving only 900 MW by day and 1,100 MW at night.
Amit said one of the country’s two Floating Storage Regasification Units broke down on 21 July, nearly collapsing fuel supply; it was fully restored by 15 August, with the system now 88% normalised and full recovery expected by early September. 
He said the crisis would have been avoided had the interim government not cancelled a contract for a third FSRU, and that fast-track approval for a replacement, targeted for 2028, was under way.
On reports that Heavy Fuel Oil plants could generate 5,000-6,000 MW, Amit said these peaking plants can safely run at only 70%-80% capacity, putting the realistic ceiling at 4,000 MW – of which 3,200 MW is already being produced. 
He asked MPs to enforce the rule requiring shops and malls to close by 8pm, and cited past failures including power plants built without fuel guarantees, such as Khulna-3’s missing gas pipeline, neglected transmission upgrades, and over-dependence on Middle Eastern fuel imports. 
The government, he said, was now diversifying import sources and accelerating renewable projects ahead of next year’s summer and irrigation seasons.