[🇧🇩] Energy Security of Bangladesh

[Saif]

Bangladesh eyes to procure 5 spot LNG cargoes in May

Bangladesh is eyeing to import five spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes in May to meet mounting summer demand. State-run Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd (RPGCL) has already bought two spot LNG cargoes and sought to buy three more from spot market for May delivery windows, a senior RPGCL

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladesh eyes to procure 5 spot LNG cargoes in May
FE ONLINE REPORT
Published :
Apr 15, 2025 19:59
Updated :
Apr 15, 2025 20:17

Bangladesh is eyeing to import five spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes in May to meet mounting summer demand.

State-run Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd (RPGCL) has already bought two spot LNG cargoes and sought to buy three more from spot market for May delivery windows, a senior RPGCL official told The Financial Express Tuesday.

The tender evaluation committee is currently evaluating three tenders for May 15-16, May 22-23 and May 25-26 delivery windows.

The country’s energy demand has gone up from early April with the advent of summer and is expected to grow further with the rise of mercury.

Bangladesh bought four spot LNG cargoes for the delivery windows of the past two months – April and March.

The bid winners will deliver the LNG cargoes at Moheshkhali Island in the Bay of Bengal, with options to discharge the cargo at either of the country’s two floating storage regasification units (FSRUs) located on Moheshkhali Island.

The RPGCL, a wholly owned subsidiary of state-run Bangladesh Oil, Gas, and Mineral Corporation, or Petrobangla, looks into LNG trades in Bangladesh.

The volume of each of the spot LNG cargoes will also be around 3.36 million British Thermal unit (MMBtu).

Bangladesh previously awarded its latest spot LNG cargo tender to TotalEnergies Gas and Power Ltd for May 10-11 delivery window at $12.68 per MMBtu.

It currently imports LNG from Qatar Energy and OQ Trading international under long term deals and purchases LNG also from spot market to re-gasify LNG in its two operational FSRUs having the total capacity of 1.10 billion cubic feet per day (Bcfd).

The country has been reeling an acute energy crisis as its natural gas output is depleting.

Bangladesh has been rationing gas supply to industries, power plants and other gas-guzzling industries to cope with the mounting demand.​

 

[Saif]

Gas price increase for industries unjustified, discriminatory

AN INCREASE of 33 per cent in prices of gas for use as raw materials and captive power in the industrial sector that the Energy Regulatory Commission announced on April 13 with an immediate effect is worrying for industries that plan to get new connections or expand their consumption. The plan...

www.newagebd.net

Gas price increase for industries unjustified, discriminatory
16 April, 2025, 00:00

AN INCREASE of 33 per cent in prices of gas for use as raw materials and captive power in the industrial sector that the Energy Regulatory Commission announced on April 13 with an immediate effect is worrying for industries that plan to get new connections or expand their consumption. The plan is discriminatory. The increase will force factories seeking to use gas for captive power generation to pay Tk 42 a unit in place of Tk 31.50. Old captive power producers seeking to use more gas to increase their present capacity would need to pay keeping to the new rates. The industries that would seek new connections would need to pay Tk 40 a unit instead of the previous Tk 30. The existing industries seeking to increase consumption would need to pay at the new rate for the additional supply. The industries in the process of getting new connections would need to pay for a half of the sanctioned limit at new rates and for the other half at the previous rate.

But for Petrobangla which proposed a 152 per cent increase in gas prices aimed at generating Tk 32.4 billion, all other stakeholders at the public hearing on February 26 expressed their strong disapproval, noting that the interim government was following in the footsteps of the Awami League government, which was overthrown in a mass uprising in August 2024 that flared up from protests against discrimination in civil service recruitment in July that year. The stakeholders who attended the hearing were surprised at the commission’s convening the public hearing on grounds of reducing deficits of public companies. Whilst the government remains unwilling to improve the efficiency of the agency and end corruption and irregularities in the process, industrialists have earlier noted that it appears something like resolving the issue by arbitrarily increasing prices. And, industrialists, who at the time of the public hearing said that such a government move would increase production costs that would eventually fall on consumers, add another reason to their argument against gas price increase, saying that the price increase for new and old industrial gas connections and for the use of gas for captive power would discourage fresh investments, especially at a time when the government is trying to attract investments. Businesspeople say that a profit-first mentality has driven the government move, but it benefits neither consumers nor industries.

The government should dispense with the discrimination in the gas price plan. But, it had better not increase gas prices at such a time and, first, put in some efforts to improve efficiency and end corruption in the agencies involved and the process before going for gas price increase.​

 

[Saif]

Titas Gas continues crackdown on illegal gas connections

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution PLC continues its drive to identify and remove illegal gas connections. As part of a regular operation, a mobile court led by executive magistrate Milton Roy from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division conducted an eviction drive on Tuesday in the Jamgora

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Titas Gas continues crackdown on illegal gas connections
Published :
Apr 16, 2025 22:49
Updated :
Apr 16, 2025 22:49

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution PLC continues its drive to identify and remove illegal gas connections.

As part of a regular operation, a mobile court led by executive magistrate Milton Roy from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division conducted an eviction drive on Tuesday in the Jamgora and Itkhola areas of Ashulia, under the jurisdiction of the Jobio-Ashulia regional sales division of Titas Gas, Savar, UNB reports.

During the operation, around 500 illegal residential gas burners were disconnected, and 400 meters of pipeline were removed and seized.

According to Titas Gas officials, the initiative will save approximately 11,334 cubic feet/hour of gas.

Through mobile court proceedings, three commercial entities — Mokka Hotel & Chandpur Restaurant, Madina Hotel, and Gaibandha Hotel — along with two illegal consumers, Abdul Wahab Mir and Humayun, were fined a total of Tk 1.25 lakh, which was collected on the spot.

On the same day, another mobile court led by senior assistant commissioner and executive magistrate Nazmul Huda conducted a similar operation under the Jobio-Araihazar regional sales division of Titas Gas in areas including Kalibari Bazar, Satyabandi, and Duptara in Araihazar, Narayanganj, spanning 2.5 kilometers.

The operation resulted in the disconnection of around 820 illegal residential gas burners and the seizure of 110 feet of MS pipe, one package burner, and one booster. No fines or arrests could be made in the illegal factory found during the operation, as no responsible individuals were present at the scene.

Additionally, under the supervision of the regional revenue branch, Narayanganj, connection disconnection operations were carried out by five special teams in Hossain Nagar, Kashipur, and Fatulla areas of Narayanganj.

Due to unpaid gas bills, gas connections were disconnected in three households with six double burners.

For using gas in unauthorized extensions, 10 residential connections with a total of 99 double burners were disconnected. Furthermore, due to complete illegal usage without customer signal IDs, 10 illegal gas connections were disconnected, which included 33 double burners.

Titas Gas officials said that from September 2024 to April 15, 2025, a total of 29,617 illegal gas connections have been disconnected, including 230 industrial, 155 commercial, and 29,232 residential connections.

Additionally, 67,212 burners have been disconnected, and 144 kilometers of gas pipeline have been removed during this period.​

 

[Saif]

Gas price hike couldn't come at a worse time

The government's decision to raise gas prices for new industries by an average of 33 per cent, defying strong opposition from industrialists and business leaders, is being widely criticised for a multitude of reasons. First of all, the industrial gas tariff hike came amid the country's bleak invest

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Gas price hike couldn't come at a worse time
Atiqul Kabir Tuhin
Published :
Apr 16, 2025 23:41
Updated :
Apr 16, 2025 23:41

The government's decision to raise gas prices for new industries by an average of 33 per cent, defying strong opposition from industrialists and business leaders, is being widely criticised for a multitude of reasons. First of all, the industrial gas tariff hike came amid the country's bleak investment scenario and macroeconomic vulnerability, and thereby, may put further damper on new investment.

Currently, several key economic indicators that reflect a country's investment scenario are on a downward trend. According to the latest data from Bangladesh Bank, private sector credit growth fell to a decade-low of 6.82 per cent in February, driven by declining loan demand from businesses. Another key indicator reflecting the investment climate is the import of capital machinery, which dropped by 30.10 per cent in the first eight months of fiscal year 2024-25 (July to February), compared to the same period last year. An investment slowdown, weak private credit growth, and reduced imports of capital machinery often go hand in hand.

Foreign direct investment has also experienced a sharp drop in the first half of the current fiscal year. In July-December period of FY2024-25, overseas investment fell by more than 71 per cent compared to the same period in the previous year.

These facts and figures make it amply clear that a red light is flashing on the country's investment dashboard. In this context, when investors are already unnerved by high interest rates, prolonged political uncertainty, and persistent high inflation, the increase in utility prices comes as yet another blow. The decision is feared to further dampen the already subdued investment climate, hinder industrial growth, impede job creation, and slow down economic recovery.

Then again, the new tariff is discriminatory. Introduction of a discriminatory tariff in the industrial sector by none other than a government that came to power riding on the back of an anti-discriminatory movement is the last thing one would have expected. But this is what has just happened.

As per the Sunday's announcement of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), new industrial units will have to pay Tk 40 for per cubic metre of gas instead of Tk 30. Similarly, new captive power users will have to pay Tk 42 per cubic metre, which was previously Tk 31.5. The existing consumers will have to pay at the previous rate, but in the case of using gas beyond their sanctioned load, they will have to pay following the new tariff. Moreover, those who have received primary approval for new connections will have to pay new tariff if their usage exceeds 50 per cent of their sanctioned load.

As things stand, as per the BERC pricing structure, older factories, along with household, commercial users, and CNG filling stations, will continue to receive gas at previous rates, while new industrial units-as well as existing ones that decide to increase production-will have to pay significantly higher prices for this essential fuel. Business leaders rightly question the rationale behind applying different fuel rates for the production of similar goods within the same sector. Thanks to this discriminatory policy, new businesses will face significant challenges in competing with their established counterparts. Consequently, it will push new investors at the back foot and may even compel them to put their business expansion plan on hold as they will face added cost pressure and uneven competition.

The timing of the utility price hike is also being questioned, as it runs counter to the government's recent efforts to boost investment. It came at a time when the government is trying to rope in more foreign investors. Notably, the announcement was made just a few days after the conclusion of a major investment summit in Dhaka attended by over 500 foreign investors from around 50 countries. Many argue that it could potentially send a wrong signal to potential investors about the country's policy unpredictability.

The previous Awami League government, with the promise of providing uninterrupted supplies, had raised gas tariffs for small and cottage industries by 178.29 per cent to Tk 30 per cubic meter from Tk 10.78 in February 2024. Rates for captive power plants, small power plants and merchant power plants were raised by 87.50 per cent to Tk 30 per cubic meter from previous Tk 16. Despite this substantial price hike, the government failed to deliver the promised uninterrupted gas supply.

Bangladesh has witnessed a substantial hike in energy prices, apparently due to the policy failures of the previous government. Instead of prioritising the exploration of new gas fields, the government chose to import expensive LNG-allegedly to benefit certain cronies in the energy sector. To make matters worse, when LNG imports began in 2018, global gas prices were still at tolerable levels. However, the Russia-Ukraine war caused prices to surge worldwide. This, combined with exchange rate volatility and a persistent dollar crisis, has further aggravated the situation for Bangladesh.

Now, the pressing question is whether the current interim government will continue with the same flawed energy policies of its predecessor or chart a new course - one that would incorporate forward-looking strategies and prioritise the optimal utilisation of the country's onshore and offshore gas reserves.

Another critical challenge is the excessively high rate of system loss. At present, the technical loss rate of gas in Bangladesh stands at around 3 per cent-far above the international standard of 0.20 to 0.30 percent. Allegations have it that gas stolen through illegal connections is being passed off as technical loss. In just the first six months of the current fiscal year, 1.37 billion (137 crore) cubic meters of gas were lost due to system loss. With Petrobangla spending Tk 79.34 to import and supply each cubic meter of gas, the financial loss from this wastage amounts to Tk 108.7 billion. Reducing this excessive level of system loss could save the country billions. This is where the authorities should focus instead of burdening industries with steep tariff hikes that threatens future growth prospects.​

 

[Saif]

'Energy dominance agenda' and the catastrophic global warming

The new US 'reciprocal tariff' policy announced on April 2, 2025 has shaken the global trade systems and escalated tensions across the globe. It has been interpreted that the Trump administration wanted to increase US exports primarily to reduce the existing trade imbalances among the commodity exp

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

'Energy dominance agenda' and the catastrophic global warming
Mushfiqur Rahman
Published :
Apr 17, 2025 21:39
Updated :
Apr 17, 2025 21:39

The new US 'reciprocal tariff' policy announced on April 2, 2025 has shaken the global trade systems and escalated tensions across the globe. It has been interpreted that the Trump administration wanted to increase US exports primarily to reduce the existing trade imbalances among the commodity exporting countries and the USA.

The USA has been encouraging the increase of American export including the US energy export all over the world. Despite the sweeping package of imposed new tariff (President Trump's newly announced tariff has a minimum 10 per cent universal rate) on US imports, energy commodity imports received an exemption. Fossil fuel lobby groups in the USA had expressed their satisfaction and decided to welcome President Trumps' decision to exclude oil and natural gas from the new tariff. Within a short period of the President Trump's new import tariff policy announcement, globally fossil fuel prices started to decline (though the US new tariff policy would not apply directly to many oil and gas products). Demands for crude oil has been declining in the global market as the US exports increases and Chinese demands declining.

In the meantime, India and the USA have agreed to significantly increase the supply of oil and gas from the USA to the Indian market. At the end of the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Modi's US visit on February 14, 2025, it was stated that the US would be 'a leading supplier of crude oil and petroleum products and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India'. Earlier international media reported that the Republic of Korea, the third largest LNG importing country of the world expressed its intention to buy more US oil and gas to reduce the existing trade surplus with the USA and improve energy security. Japan, the largest LNG importer of the world wanted to increase its LNG purchases from the USA to diversify its supply sources. Lorne Stockman, research director of the Oil Change International, a research and advocacy organisation for transition to clean energy suspected that the 'US seeks to either flood markets with cheap fossil fuels, or bully countries into buying more of its fossil fuels, or both.' It may be recalled that the USA is the largest oil and gas producer in the world. President Trump's 'drill, baby, drill' slogan is primarily aimed at ramping up fossil fuel extraction. AP report (February 15, 2025) suggests that the Trump administration announced the conditional export permission for a huge LNG project in Louisiana, USA (President Biden administration paused the project a year ago). President Trump has been encouraging for increased US energy productions, particularly fossil fuels and remove regulatory barriers that may slow down the increment. President Trump was delighted that the United States was blessed with 'liquid gold' and urged energy companies to sell more oil and gas to allies in Europe and around the world. As per published reports, President Trump stated 'we are going to make more money than anybody has ever made with energy.' He further explained, 'We're lucky to have it. I call it liquid gold under our feet. And we're going to utilise it.'

The shale fracking technological revolution helped the United States significantly increase natural gas and LNG productions in the mid-2000s. Natural gas productions in the USA surged dramatically and climbed 50 per cent from 2005 to 2015 and oil production doubled during 2009 to 2019. This production boom in the domestic market helped the Trump administration to promote 'energy dominance' agenda for the USA. The said agenda emphasised expanded fossil fuel production, deregulation and the use of US energy exports for 'economic strength and geopolitical leverage'. President Trump's 'energy dominance' strategy inadvertently would boost global oil and gas supply. Trump administration hopes that the USA's increased exports of oil and gas (and LNG) will reduce OPEC+'s groups bargaining power. It will help the USA 'to reshape global energy geopolitics and shifting US energy policy from dependency to strategic power.'

Trump administration has notified the United Nations of its withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. 'The Guardian' reports (March 10, 2025) that Mr. Chris Wright, the US energy secretary stated that 'the Trump administration will end the Biden administration's irrational, quasi-religious policies on climate change that imposed endless sacrifices on our citizens.' He further stated that 'the Trump administration will treat climate change for what it is, global physical phenomenon that is a side-effect of building the modern world.' He added, 'everything in life involves trade off,'

Inevitable consequences of President Trump's energy dominance policy will be the weakening of the global efforts to 'transition away from carbon intensive energy'. Environmental rollbacks could delay the transition to clean energy solutions, net zero target achievements. Climate experts have been raising alarm that delaying actions to limit global warming would make the problem 'more dangerous and harder to solve'. If the world increases fossil fuel use including in the USA, the rate of global warming will move to the wrong direction. Already President Trump's 'drill, baby, drill' pledge is attracting other countries to reciprocate. As an example, Indonesia has hinted that it may follow the suit of the US administration policy. As reported by the news agency 'Antara', the Indonesian special envoy for climate change Mr. Hashim Djojohadikusumo raised question, 'if the United States does not want to comply with international agreement, why should a country like Indonesia comply with it?' It may be mentioned that the per capita production of carbon in Indonesia is three tons while in the USA it is 13 tons.

The energy dominance doctrine of the US administration may attract investment to increase fossil fuel energy and create job opportunity for Americans. However, it will further escalate climate change induced sufferings for the world, primarily for the most vulnerable nations.

Mushfiqur Rahman is a mining engineer. He writes on energy and environment issues.​

 

[Saif]

BIDA sees gas tariff hike as 'discriminatory'

The investment promotion authority found the recent gas tariff hike as ‘discriminatory’ for new investors and apprehended that it would put an adverse impact on its ongoing efforts to attract new investment. The hike just after the investment summit would ‘undoubtedly’

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BIDA sees gas tariff hike as 'discriminatory'
Doulot Akter Mala
Published :
Apr 17, 2025 08:50
Updated :
Apr 17, 2025 20:10

The investment promotion authority found the recent gas tariff hike as ‘discriminatory’ for new investors and apprehended that it would put an adverse impact on its ongoing efforts to attract new investment.

The hike just after the investment summit would ‘undoubtedly’ create a negative perception among the aspiring investors, said Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) executive chairman in a letter to BERC.

The latest upward revision, on April 13, 2025, of gas prices by 33 per cent would put a higher tariff burden on the new investors compared to that of the existing one.

However, BIDA said it supported the government’s effort to cut subsidy but it should not be discriminatory.

“The government can consider trimming the subsidy uniformly,” BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashiq Mohammad Bin Harun wrote in a letter sent to the Chairman of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) on Tuesday.

In the letter, obtained by the FE, Mr Chowdhury found the necessity to review the gas tariff hike decision for the sake of new investment and keep economic mobility unhindered.

Talking to the FE, Energy Adviser Md Fouzul Kabir Khan said investors were queuing up with their investment proposals despite the gas tariff hike.

“Many investors are willing to make investment despite this gas price. So far, we have more than 300 investment proposals who have agreed to invest at this price,” he told the FE.

It’s BERC’s discretion to review it, but the government is not in a position to subsidise for an unlimited period, he said.

In the letter, the BIDA chair said the discriminatory policy on gas tariff would affect new investment and discourage country’s competitiveness.

“Investors have already taken stance against the decision,” he wrote.

BIDA thinks that this decision would hinder the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flow to Bangladesh, he added.

To attract investment, the Bangladesh Investment Summit-2025 was held from April 7 to 10 in the city.

A total of 450 investors from 40 countries participated in the summit.

“A number of investors have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and agreements with the BIDA showing their interest to invest in Bangladesh,” Mr Chowdhury wrote.

In the letter, Mr Chowdhury sought sincere cooperation of BERC to set an investment friendly gas tariff rate.

He suggested a review and impact analysis workshop to discuss the issue.

Talking to the FE on Wednesday, BERC chairman Jalal Ahmed said they were yet to officially receive the letter.

“We are open to discuss the issue in the commission and also with the Petrobangla that has put forward the proposal of gas tariff hike, if it creates any controversies,” he said.

The BERC chairman said the commission delayed the decision of gas tariff hike considering the investment summit.

Nahian Rahman Rochi, Head of Business Development of BIDA, said the BIDA chair put forward the proposal to review as differential tariff structure will dissuade new investors from entering the market.

“We are happy to organise a consultation to further discuss and pros and cons about it,” he said.

However, Mr Rochi urged the BERC to do review it within the fastest possible time.

“….and we need to ensure that the ultimate decision on rate is investment friendly,” he said.

Preferring anonymity, representative of one large foreign investor said the energy advisor have played smart, with this new concept, everyone is against rather discriminatory price between old and new, next move he will do is equalize old industry in to new industry to Tk 40 per cubic meter from today’s rate of Tk 30 cm.​

 

[Saif]

Abnormal capacity charges show power sector abuse

Greatly varying capacity charges paid to power companies with similar capacities highlight a chronic ill practice by the past Awami League regime, sending Bangladesh’s economy into a tailspin.

www.newagebd.net

Abnormal capacity charges show power sector abuse
Emran Hossain 19 April, 2025, 00:10

Greatly varying capacity charges paid to power companies with similar capacities highlight a chronic ill practice by the past Awami League regime, sending Bangladesh’s economy into a tailspin.

The Bangladesh Power Development Board calculated the capacity charges considering the use of 60 per cent capacities of the power plants.

Established about the same time using the same technology, some power plants received way more capacity charge than their peers, 300 per cent or even more, per unit of electricity produced, revealed a BPDB analysis.

The list of beneficiaries invariably included AL favorites whose names frequently surfaced in reports, including the white paper published by the incumbent interim government in December last year, as power companies raking abnormal profits, often flouting the law.

‘The varying capacity charges speak of too many ill practices,’ said Hasan Mehedi, member secretary, the Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development.

From manipulating loans to bribing politicians to distorting information on equity to tampering expenses, private power companies left no stones unturned to inflate their capacity charges, he noted.

‘The sad news is they are still enjoying the privilege despite a political changeover promising to end such favours,’ he said.

Capacity charge is the amount of money the BPDB pays a power-sector investor, covering the power plant’s establishment cost plus its estimated profit, regardless of whether the plant produces or does not produce electricity.

Energy experts explained that capacity charge covers the loans received by a plant, along with interest, employees’ salaries and a return on equity.

Power plants with shorter lifetime could be entitled to a higher rate of capacity charge. Power plants taking loans at high interest rates could also result in excessive capacity charge payment, energy experts said.

‘Usually the return on equity remains about 12 per cent,’ said energy expert Mohammad Tamim, who was also a member of the team that prepared the white paper on the economy of Bangladesh last year.

Joint ventures were found to be earning 16 per cent return on equity while the Rampal power plant was entitled to an 18 per cent return on equity, he said.

After considering possible investment in power plants by different types of fuels, energy experts gave a range of ideal capacity charge rates per unit of electricity – around Tk 1 for gas-based power plants, maximum Tk 4 for coal-based power plants and Tk 2 for oil-based power plants.

But the situation in Bangladesh is far from ideal.

For instance, the Jamalpur 115MW oil-based power plant, owned by the United Group, received Tk 4.23 for generating per KWh of electricity. The rate is 327 per cent higher than what is paid to another private power producer Raj Lanka for its 52MW power plant in Natore – Tk 0.99. The power plants operate with reciprocating engine. While the Jamalpur plant has been operating since 2019, the Natore plant has been in operation since 2014.

The United Group received Tk 4.26 for a unit of power for its 200MW power plant in Mymensingh, which was established in 2018.

Set up in 2020, the 104MW oil-based Meghnaghat power plant, owned by the Orion Group, receives Tk 3.42 per unit, which is 272 per cent higher than what state-owned oil-based power plant receives on average – Tk 2.39 a unit.

Similarly, the 149MW and the 300MW oil-based Kodda power plants and the 55MW oil-based Madanganj power plant, all owned by the Summit Group, receive in capacity charge for a unit of electricity Tk 3.34, Tk 3.33 and Tk 3.06 respectively. The Summit Group built its power plants between 2016 and 2018. The 200MW oil-based power plant in Chandpur, owned by the Desh Energy, set up in 2018, receives Tk 3.42 per unit in capacity charge. The power plants all have reciprocating engines.

The average capacity charge received by independent oil-based power plants for a unit of power is Tk 3.23, followed by similar public plants earning Tk 2.44 and state-owned power plants Tk 2.39. The state-owned oil-based 100MW Gopalganj power plant, set up in 2011, receives the lowest Tk 0.92 capacity charge per unit.

‘Such huge differences in prices are reminiscent of the absence of competition in the power sector,’ said Shafiqul Alam, lead energy analyst, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

During the 15 years of the past AL regime, power projects went ahead mainly through one-on-one negotiation without any tender under the indemnity law recently scrapped. The power ministry was under the authority of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and she oversaw $33 billion investments.

The average capacity charge paid to gas-based independent power plants is Tk 3. The gas-based Meghnaghat 335MW and 583MW power plants, both owned by the Summit Group, receive Tk 3.48 and Tk 3.67 per unit respectively. The power plants were set up in 2015 and 2024 respectively with combined cycle engines.

The 584MW Meghnaghat power plant, owned by the Unique Group and set up in 2024 with combined cycle engine, receives Tk 3.78 per unit.

The average gas-based joint venture projects’ capacity charge stands at Tk 3.71. The 195MW Ashuganj power plant, set up in 2015 and owned by the United Group, receives Tk 3.51 per unit.

There were big anomalies in capacity charges received by public power companies. For instance, the Haripur 100MW plant, set up in 1987, receives Tk 2.42 as capacity charge, far higher than Tk 0.55 received by the Ghorashal 409MW power plant, set up in 1989.

There are other gas-based public power plants that get less than Tk 1 in capacity charge per unit. The average capacity charge received by BPDB-owned gas-based power plant is Tk 1.31. The average capacity charge received by gas-based power plants owned by public companies other than the BPDB is Tk 2.44.

To coal-based state-owned power plants, the average capacity charge paid is Tk 4.63 for each unit. Joint venture coal projects receive an average of Tk 5.43 capacity charge per unit. Independent power plants, on the other hand, get an average of Tk 7.17.

The 1,320MW coal-based Banshkhali power station, owned by the

S Alam Group and set up in 2023, receives the highest Tk 7.34 capacity charge per unit.

The national capacity charge spending is set to reach Tk 38,000 crore in the current financial year of 2024–25. Initially introduced to incentivise private investment to tackle an acute power crisis by the ousted AL government, the capacity charge eventually proved to be a huge burden for the nation.

In September 2023, the then power state minister informed the parliament that in its three consecutive terms, the AL government paid a total of Tk 1.04 lakh crore as capacity charges.

Bangladesh’s power generation overcapacity is about 50 per cent of the total installed generation capacity of 27,645MW. The overcapacity is the result of the inability to buy energy, mainly due to the dollar crisis partly triggered by the massive power sector spending. The energy crisis has also set off a staggering inflation, trapping Bangladesh in a huge debt obligation.

BPDB chair Rezaul Karim said that they are reviewing power purchase agreements and will sit with power companies to present their side of the story.

‘We want to resolve the issue rationally, giving the companies a chance to present their case as well,’ he said.

‘We can assure you that a good result will come out of it,’ he told New Age on Friday.​

 

[Saif]

https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade/bangladesh-to-buy-3-more-spot-lng-cargoes-by-mid-june

Bangladesh to buy 3 more spot LNG cargoes by mid-June
FE Online Report
Published :
Apr 19, 2025 19:50
Updated :
Apr 19, 2025 20:00

Bangladesh has moved to buy three spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes by mid-June to meet mounting summer demand.

State-run Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd (RPGCL) floated three separate tenders to procure three spot LNG cargoes for May 22-23, June 5-6 and June 12-13 delivery windows, a senior RPGCL official told The Financial Express Saturday.

The country’s energy demand has gone up since March with the advent of summer and is expected to grow further with the rise of mercury.

Bangladesh has been buying three spot LNG cargoes for the delivery windows of March and April, respectively.

The bid winners will deliver the LNG cargoes at Moheshkhali Island in the Bay of Bengal, with options to discharge the cargo at either of the country’s two floating storage re-gasification units (FSRUs) located on Moheshkhali Island.

The RPGCL, a wholly owned subsidiary of state-run Bangladesh Oil, Gas, and Mineral Corporation, or Petrobangla, looks into LNG trades in Bangladesh.

The volume of each of the spot LNG cargoes will also be around 3.36 million British Thermal unit (MMBtu).

Bangladesh currently imports LNG from Qatar Energy and OQ Trading International under long-term deals and purchases LNG also from the spot market to re-gasify LNG in its two operational FSRUs, having a total capacity of 1.10 billion cubic feet per day (Bcfd).

The country has been reeling from an acute energy crisis as its natural gas output is depleting.

Bangladesh has been rationing gas supply to industries, power plants and other gas-guzzling industries to cope with the mounting demand.​

 

[Saif]

Capacity charge ills should not menace power sector

THIS is unfortunate that the capacity charge — the money that the Power Development Board pays power-sector investors even when the plants do not produce electricity, with an aim to cover the loans that the plants receive, along with interests, salaries of the employees and returns on the equity...

www.newagebd.net

Capacity charge ills should not menace power sector
20 April, 2025, 00:00

THIS is unfortunate that the capacity charge — the money that the Power Development Board pays power-sector investors even when the plants do not produce electricity, with an aim to cover the loans that the plants receive, along with interests, salaries of the employees and returns on the equity — continues even after the political changeover of August 5, 2024, with the interim government having promised to end such favours dished out quarters close to the Awami League government that was toppled in a mass uprising. But this does not make up the whole story. What is further unfortunate is that the capacity charges greatly vary depending on power companies with similar capacities. The power board calculates the capacity charge considering the use of 60 per cent capacity of the plants. Set up about the same time with the same technology, some plants receive way more capacity charge than the others do, 300 per cent or even more, as a power board analysis shows, for the production of a unit of electricity. Whilst the capacity charge remains a menace, varying capacity charges suggest that the power sector is plagued with too many ill practices, putting the economy in a tight spot.

Private-sector power producers have tried all every possible means — manipulating loans, bribing politicians, distorting information on equity or tampering with expenses — to inflate their capacity charge. An energy expert who was on the committee that prepared the white paper on the state of the Bangladesh economy, submitted to the government on December 1, 2024, says that the return on equity is usually 12 per cent. Joint ventures are found to be earning 16 per cent return on equity. The Rampal power plant is, however, entitled to an 18 per cent return on equity. In view of possible investments in power plants run on various types of fuel, energy experts say that an ideal capacity charge for plants based on gas is about Tk 1 a unit, for plants based on coal a maximum of Tk 4 a unit and for plants based on oil Tk 2 a unit. But the proposition remains far from ideal. The average capacity charge paid to gas-based independent power plants is Tk 3 a unit. The average capacity charge for gas-based independent power plants is Tk 7.17 a unit. The average capacity charge for independent oil-based plants is Tk 3.23 a unit.

With the overcapacity having already been about 50 per cent, this is pressing that the government should rethink the provision, or at least renegotiate, especially after the interim government in November 2024 repealed the Awami League-era Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provisions) Act 2010 that brought in the menace in the energy policy.​

 

[Saif]

Eliminating power subsidy more than a challenge

The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) insistence on eliminating power subsidies and raising electricity tariffs has got the interim government in a difficult position. These two measures are among the primary conditions for the release of the 4th and 5th tranches of the IMF's $4.7 billion loan. A

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Eliminating power subsidy more than a challenge
Published :
Apr 24, 2025 23:32
Updated :
Apr 24, 2025 23:32

The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) insistence on eliminating power subsidies and raising electricity tariffs has got the interim government in a difficult position. These two measures are among the primary conditions for the release of the 4th and 5th tranches of the IMF's $4.7 billion loan. As per the latest IMF review mission, which conducted a comprehensive assessment of Bangladesh's economic landscape, the government is expected to completely remove power subsidies by the 2025-26 fiscal year to qualify for further disbursements from the multilateral body. The IMF has also recommended an upward adjustment in electricity tariffs to reduce the fiscal burden. According to media reports, failure to phase out the electricity subsidy could jeopardise the release of the 4th and 5th tranches of the loan.

However, the reality on the ground in Bangladesh's power and energy sector starkly by no means corresponds to these expectations. The interim government recently revised the national budget, increasing the total subsidy allocation from Tk 360 billion to Tk 620 billion. Over the years, electricity subsidies have escalated, largely due to the proliferation of independent power producers (IPPs) and rental power plants that operate at high costs. To manage the growing fiscal pressure, the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has begun ramping up generation from coal and gas-fired power plants -- seen as more cost-effective options. This shift is part of a broader strategy to gradually reduce dependence on expensive IPPs. Nonetheless, some newly commissioned IPPs have already begun supplying power to the national grid under previously signed power purchase agreements (PPAs), and their outstanding payments remain a financial liability. The BPDB has informed the IMF that it may take a few more years to clear these dues and trim overall subsidies.

The IMF's call for a zero-subsidy regime stems from its emphasis on building a sustainable, market-driven economy. However, many economists argue that such a model may not be suitable for a power-starved country like Bangladesh. Removing subsidies so soon could have far-reaching consequences, particularly for the manufacturing sector which is highly dependent on affordable energy. The ripple effects could include higher inflation, a spike in production costs, and a decline in export competitiveness -- outcomes that are likely to undercut the very economic stability the IMF loan aims to support. A more balanced and pragmatic approach would be to implement a gradual phase-out of subsidies, allowing industries and common consumers time to adapt. A sudden and complete withdrawal, as suggested by the IMF, may result in economic disruption that outweighs the benefits of the $4.7 billion loan.

It is crucial for Bangladesh to secure the IMF funds, including the additional $3.0 billion agreed upon recently, but not at the cost of macroeconomic stability. Currently, a high-level delegation from the interim government is in Washington, D.C., participating in the IMF-World Bank annual meetings. Their mission is to negotiate the release of the delayed tranches and to persuade the IMF to adopt a more flexible approach to subsidy reform. There is hope that with careful diplomacy and sound economic reasoning, the delegation can convince the global lender to support a gradual transition that better aligns with the country's current realities.​