Download Link for Energy & Power Vol 22 Issue 20 (April 1, 2025) as PDF/userfiles/EP_22_20.pdf

For years, Bangladesh lit up villages and cities with pride—electricity meant progress. But today, that power comes at a steep and growing cost. The country’s energy sector is drowning in debt. The state-run Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) owes over $3.0 billion, struggling to pay power producers both at home and abroad. Every month, it needs nearly BDT 10,000 crore just to keep the system running. To plug the gaps, the government is pouring in subsidies—BDT 62,000 crore for electricity alone this year revised budget, up from 40,000 crore. The gas sector isn’t far behind, with prices soaring due to expensive imported LNG and a weak currency. Proposed hikes—to BDT 75.72 per cubic meter—have alarmed businesses and consumers alike. But money isn’t the only problem. Years of poor planning left Bangladesh overly dependent on imported fuel, now making up 55% of our energy mix. Power plants built without securing fuel are sitting idle while billions in "capacity payments" go to waste. As international lenders push for subsidy cuts, the government faces hard choices. Raise prices, and people suffer. Keep subsidies, and the economy buckles.

Experts say the way out isn’t quick fixes but long-term reforms: invest in local energy sources, cut inefficiencies, and rethink how we power the nation. Because at this point, every flick of a light switch reminds us—we’re not just paying for electricity. We’re paying for years of mismanagement. And the meter is still running.

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