AE Desk:

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said on Wednesday that the government is moving ahead with plans to introduce electric trains on the Dhaka-Chattogram route, turn Bhola into an energy-based industrial hub and take action based on the findings of the interim government’s White Paper on corruption and economic mismanagement.

He also outlined an ambitious energy plan in parliament, including drilling 150 new gas wells by 2031, developing new LNG infrastructure, expanding renewable power and replacing diesel-run irrigation pumps with solar-powered ones within five years.

The prime minister presented the plans while responding to questions and supplementary questions from lawmakers during the question-and-answer session in Parliament.

Electric trains on Dhaka-Ctg route

Responding to a question from Chattogram-12 MP Mohammad Enamul Huque, Tarique Rahman said the government is moving ahead with plans to introduce electric trains on the Dhaka-Chattogram route.

The feasibility study and detailed design have already been completed, while implementation is awaiting financing.

At the same time, the government is working to upgrade the Dhaka-Chattogram railway into a modern dual-gauge double-line.

Studies and detailed designs for the Tongi-Akhaura and Laksam-Chattogram sections have been completed, he said.

A proposal for a direct Dhaka-Comilla chord line is also under consideration. The proposed line would shorten the distance between Dhaka and Chattogram and reduce travel time.

Bhola to get energy-based industries

Replying to supplementary questions from Sultana Ahmed and Bhola-4 MP Mohammad Nurul Islam, the prime minister said the government plans to bring gas from Bhola to mainland industries in LNG form, giving priority to economic zones, EPZs and BSCIC industrial areas.

However, transporting Bhola’s gas to the mainland through a pipeline could take at least seven years, he said. The government therefore intends to promote gas-based industrialisation in Bhola itself.

Plans include a major fertiliser factory and a 500MW power plant. Another 400MW gas-fired power plant is also planned in the district.

The government has separately taken an initiative to convert around 60 million cubic feet of gas a day from the Veduria and Ilisha gas fields into LNG and transport it by lighterage to the Khulna power hub, the prime minister said.

The five-year development framework for July 2026-June 2031 also gives Bhola and its surrounding islands a significant role in the blue economy, with emphasis on fisheries, agriculture, climate-resilient infrastructure and maritime security.

150 new gas wells by 2031

Responding to a question from BNP’s reserved women’s seat lawmaker Sultana Ahmed, Tarique Rahman said the government plans to drill 150 new gas wells by 2031 alongside extensive seismic surveys to identify new domestic reserves.

The government is conducting 4,500 line-kilometres of 2D seismic surveys and 4,200 square kilometres of 3D surveys, he said.

It has also invited international bids for oil and gas exploration and extraction in 26 offshore blocks, with bids scheduled to be submitted by November 2026.

The government is simultaneously formulating the Bangladesh Onshore Model PSC 2026 to attract foreign investment in onshore exploration, he said.

“These initiatives are aimed at reducing the vulnerability of industries to sudden gas shortages,” the prime minister said.

New LNG terminals planned

The country currently has two floating LNG terminals capable of supplying an average of around 935 million cubic feet of gas a day, Tarique Rahman said.

To strengthen the country’s ability to cope with future supply disruptions, the government is developing another floating LNG terminal at Kutubjom in Maheshkhali and a land-based terminal at Matarbari.

The Kutubjom terminal is expected to start supplying re-gasified LNG in 2028, while the Matarbari terminal is scheduled to begin supplying gas by December 2030.

Solar power to replace diesel pumps

Responding to a supplementary question from Meherpur-1 MP Md Tajuddin Khan, the prime minister said the government plans to gradually replace diesel-powered irrigation pumps with solar-powered systems across the country within five years.

“Wherever water pumps are currently operated by diesel, we will gradually convert all of them to solar power within the next five years, InshaAllah,” he said.

Tarique Rahman said renewable energy had been identified as a priority to reduce dependence on imported fuels amid rising electricity demand.

The National Renewable Energy Development Strategy 2026-2030 targets at least 20% of total electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030 and 30% by 2040.

The government aims to generate 5,500MW from rooftop solar systems and 4,500MW from large-scale ground-mounted solar projects. Another 450-550MW is expected from wind, waste-to-energy, hydropower, floating solar and agrivoltaics.

The government has provided conditional exemptions from customs duty, regulatory duty, supplementary duty, advance tax and the additional 2% advance income tax on essential solar equipment, including panels, inverters, batteries and structures.

The prime minister said the maximum cost of rooftop solar generation, including batteries, had been set at Tk8 per unit from 1 September.

A separate notification has fixed the price of electricity supplied to the national grid at Tk10.50 per unit, including a 20% profit on generation costs and an 11.25% premium as a special incentive.

Under the arrangement, those installing rooftop solar systems by 28 February 2027, in line with the Net Metering Guidelines 2025, will receive Tk10.50 per unit for surplus electricity supplied to the grid for three years, until 28 February 2030.

He said the government had also adopted a range of policies and guidelines to promote renewable energy, including the Renewable Energy Policy 2025, Net Metering Guideline 2025, National Rooftop Solar Programme 2025, Onshore Wind Guideline and guidelines on renewable-energy projects under the PPP model and carbon-credit processing.

Lithium batteries encouraged

Replying to a supplementary question from MP Nipun Roy Chowdhury, the prime minister said lead-acid and lithium batteries were generally used to store solar power.

The government is encouraging the use of lithium batteries because they are more environment-friendly, he said. It will provide necessary support to industries that establish lithium-battery manufacturing facilities, while discouraging the use of lead-acid batteries because of their environmental impact.

He said the government had stipulated that lithium batteries must be used in rooftop solar systems.

Action based on White Paper

Tarique Rahman said the government was examining the White Paper prepared by the interim government on corruption and economic mismanagement over the previous 17 years and would gradually take necessary action based on its findings.

“The interim government had formed a committee, and that committee published a White Paper or a report on various issues, particularly on the economy. If we look at it, we get a clear picture of what happened during that period,” he said in response to a supplementary question from MP Md Mobasher Alam Bhuiyan.

The government is now examining the findings and taking measures accordingly, he said.