State Minister Saki Addresses Energy Crisis and New Projects at ECNEC

State Minister for Planning Md. Jonaed Abdur Rahim Saki addressed journalists regarding the current national energy crisis and future fuel planning during a press conference held on Wednesday. The briefing took place at the NEC Conference Room of the Planning Commission located in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, following a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

During the briefing, Mr. Saki addressed the technical difficulties that have recently impacted the nation's energy supply. He noted that problems in gas supply had been created due to a boiler or technical malfunction at the floating LNG terminal situated in Maheshkhali. To mitigate these disruptions, the government is actively working to resolve the temporary crisis and is importing necessary gas to meet the country's daily requirements.

Elaborating on the broader strategy, the State Minister acknowledged past policy limitations and the steps currently being taken. He stated that the previous energy policy had been made import-dependent, but authorities are now working to overcome the shortage. He emphasized that merely importing gas is insufficient, noting that LNG stations are also required, which take time to install.

Addressing the current state of petroleum reserves, the planning official confirmed the country's existing logistical capacity. According to the updates shared during the press conference, the nation currently maintains a storage capacity for fuel oil sufficient to last for a period of one and a half months.

In addition to discussing the broader energy situation, the ECNEC meeting itself greenlit important development initiatives. Among the decisions finalized during the session were the approval of the second revision for the construction of a 100-megawatt solar power plant in Madarganj, Jamalpur, as well as the first revision for the expansion and strengthening of electrical infrastructure within the DESCO area.