PM for swift steps to restore energy supply, patience to resolve crisis

PM Tarique Rahman addressing a cheque distribution and doa mahfil programme at the Mohakhali Wireless TNT field on Saturday 15 Aug 2026.

Dhaka, Aug 15 : Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday apologised to the people for the ongoing power and gas shortages and assured that his government was taking urgent steps to ease the crisis, expressing hope that the gas situation would improve significantly within the next few days.

Addressing a cheque distribution and doa mahfil programme at the Mohakhali Wireless TNT field under Dhaka-17 constituency, he also urged opposition political parties criticising the government over the crises to come up with concrete, workable plans to resolve the problems instead of creating confusion among the people.

“I sincerely apologise to the people for the suffering caused by the power crisis…I hope that, with Allah’s mercy, the gas crisis will ease considerably within the next few days,” Tarique Rahman said.

The programme was arranged marking the 81st birth anniversary of former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Cheques were distributed among 681distressed, helpless and sick people at the programme.

The Prime Minister said the government was aware that people in different parts of the country were suffering from electricity shortages.

He said the government was taking necessary steps to address both the immediate crisis and the structural weaknesses in the energy sector.

Tarique Rahman said the current gas shortage was linked to Bangladesh's limited LNG storage and regasification capacity.

“Gas was once a natural resource of Bangladesh. But over the past 17 years, the autocratic government did not explore new gas fields and instead left the entire sector dependent on foreign sources,” he said.

Tarique Rahman said soon after his elected government assumed office, it had decided to expedite gas exploration on Bangladeshi soil through Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, with the aim of keeping control of the country’s gas fields in the hands of Bangladeshis.

“At present, we have to import a large portion of our gas. The facilities for storing it through the vessels used to bring in gas were limited to only two vessels. During the previous government, arrangements were made for another vessel, but the interim government later cancelled that initiative. As a result, when an accident suddenly occurred involving one of the two existing vessels, the current gas crisis emerged,” he said.

The Prime Minister, however, said they have already addressed the technical problems. “We are working to free people from this hardship as quickly as possible.”

He said the government was working with China and other countries to expedite the construction and deployment of the vessel.

Tarique Rahman also said he had spoken to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim seeking assistance with the country's gas requirements.

He urged people to remain patient, noting that specialised LNG vessels require considerable time to build and are produced by only a limited number of countries.

Tarique Rahman challenged political parties criticising the government over the power and gas shortages to present concrete plans for solving the problems.

“If you believe you have a responsibility towards the people, bring your plans before them. If your plan can solve the problems within six months, we will implement those plans,” he said.

The Prime Minister initially challenged political parties to offer solutions within three months, before extending the timeframe to six months.

He said political leaders who only seek to confuse people would have to apologise to the public.

“A politician's responsibility is not simply to confuse the people; rather, a politician's responsibility is to show the people the right path,” Tarique Rahman said.

He urged political parties to abandon what he described as politics of confusion, lies, violence and provocation and instead present practical proposals for the country's development.

“Bring forward what you can do for the people and what plans you have that will benefit the country and its people,” the Prime Minister said.

He said the government was preparing a long-term plan to address Bangladesh's energy problems.

The Prime Minister said the government would present in the upcoming session of parliament its plan for resolving the country's energy crisis over the next 10 years.

“We are not denying that there is a gas problem. There is a gas problem. But the BNP is working for the people and has a plan for how we will solve the country's energy problems,” Tarique Rahman said.

The Prime Minister said the government had been working since taking office to rebuild key sectors, including energy, but cautioned that it was unrealistic to expect all accumulated problems to be resolved within six months.

“Even a child takes around 15 to 18 months to learn to walk, even when holding someone's hand. The age of your elected government is only six months,” he said.

Tarique Rahman, also the MP from Dhaka-17 constituency, said the people wanted development, accountability and improvements in their living standards, rather than street agitation and disorder.

He said the country's 20 crore people represented 40 crore hands that needed to be transformed into productive and skilled workers to change Bangladesh's economic fortunes.

“What I received is not the most important thing; what I could give to this country and its people is what matters,” Tarique Rahman said.

He also paid tribute to Khaleda Zia on her 81st birth anniversary and called for renewed commitment to building the country along the path of development and democracy.

A special munajat was offered seeking forgiveness and blessings for Khaleda Zia, the late mother of the Prime Minister.

Tarique said the occasion should be used to renew the commitment to work for the people and build the country.

The programme was presided over by Abdurr Rahman Sani, the prime minister's representative for Dhaka-17, while Rezauar Rahman Fahim and BNP leaders from different thanas and wards of the constituency also spoke. - UNB