TDS Desk:

In overcoming the current crisis in the power and energy sector, it is preferable to tolerate load shedding rather than increase the burden of debt, said Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku.

He made the remarks on Thursday at the Secretariat during the handover ceremony of the newly elected committee of the Forum for Energy Reporters of Bangladesh (FERB), an organization of journalists covering the energy sector.

The minister said that the sector is currently facing severe disorder, and due to huge outstanding payments and a fuel crisis, power plants cannot be operated properly.

Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku stated, “Although the previous BNP government (2001–2006) left behind load shedding, it did not burden the people with a mountain of debt. At present, even though the lights are on, the nation is submerged in a web of debt. It is far better to endure some hardship than to carry this debt burden.” He added that the situation has become more complicated due to having to pay capacity charges (rent) for idle power plants.

Regarding electricity price hikes, the minister said that despite the massive debt burden, he does not want to impose additional price pressure on ordinary people at this moment. Efforts are underway to manage the situation by reducing costs before the International Monetary Fund (IMF) pushes for price increases. In particular, the government plans to renegotiate power agreements.

Emphasizing the need to reduce system loss, the power minister said that while system loss was 6 percent during the BNP’s tenure, it has now risen to 10 percent. If it can be reduced to 5 percent, there will be no need to impose additional price burdens on the public. His long-term goal is to bring it down to 3 percent.

On the gas crisis, the minister blamed the former Awami League government, saying that the current suffering is the result of failing to drill new wells and increase production over a long period. He noted that the main cause is gas shortages rather than management failures, adding, “Gas production cannot be increased overnight; it requires a specific amount of time.”