An initiative has been taken to allocate an additional Tk 40,000 crore to address the ongoing gas and electricity crisis, said Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, political adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and acting secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Rizvi said the current gas and electricity crisis was not created by the government. Rather, the situation has become complicated due to the global war situation, disruptions in LNG imports and technical problems at the gas terminal in Maheshkhali.
However, he said, the government is not sitting idle and is taking various measures to resolve the crisis.
He made the remarks as the chief guest at a seminar titled “Recent Gas and Electricity Crisis—What the Government and People Should Do,” organised by the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (JASAS) at the National Press Club on Tuesday (September 8).
Rizvi said that alongside the initiative to allocate additional funds, the government is communicating with neighbouring and nearby countries to ensure a quick supply of gas.
Efforts are also underway to procure gas from various sources, including Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia, he said.
Regarding the technical problems at the LNG terminal in Maheshkhali, Rizvi said the terminal had developed problems and repair work was currently underway.
“On the one hand, global conflicts have disrupted LNG supplies, while on the other, technical problems at an important terminal have contributed to the current crisis,” he said.
Rizvi said the opposition has the right to criticise the government. However, he stressed that alongside constructive criticism, the opposition should also suggest ways to resolve the crisis.
Explaining the causes of the gas and electricity crisis, Rizvi said international energy supplies were being disrupted by conflicts in the Middle East and tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.
Under such circumstances, he said, it has become difficult to maintain normal gas supplies and electricity generation in Bangladesh, which is heavily dependent on imported LNG.
Rizvi also alleged that attempts were being made to turn the gas and electricity crisis into a political issue, mislead the public and create disorder on the streets.
“Attempts to create disorder on the streets while ignoring the government’s initiatives are not acceptable in a democratic society,” he said.
Rizvi further said that the impact of irregularities in the power and energy sectors over the past 17 years was also contributing to the current crisis.
He alleged that many power plants had received capacity payments despite not generating electricity, resulting in substantial expenditure from the national treasury.
Calling on citizens to act responsibly during the ongoing crisis, Rizvi said the government would take necessary measures from its side. At the same time, he urged citizens to conserve electricity and come forward to fulfil their social responsibilities.
JASAS central committee convener and film actor Helal Khan chaired the seminar. Jahangirnagar University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Kamrul Ahsan, JASAS member secretary Zakir Hossain Rokon and leaders of the BNP at various levels also spoke at the event.