Dhaka: The Jatiya Sangsad has announced the formation of a 10-member special committee tasked with addressing the country’s pressing energy situation, influenced by ongoing conditions in the Middle East. This committee has been given a 30-day mandate to prepare and submit a comprehensive report with recommendations aimed at tackling the energy issues.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the committee is chaired by Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood and was established under rule 266 of the parliamentary rules of procedure. The Chief Whip, Nurul Islam Moni, was instrumental in proposing the formation of this body in the House, leading to its official constitution.
The committee is a joint effort, comprising five members each from the treasury and opposition benches. From the treasury bench, members include Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood, State Minister Aninda Islam Amit, alongside BNP MPs ABM Ashraf Uddin Nijan, Moinul Islam Khan, and Miah Nuruddin Ahmad Apu. Representing the opposition are Jamaat lawmakers Md Saiful Alam, Md Nurul Islam, and Md Abdul Baten, as well as Md Abul Hasnat and Khilafat Majlis lawmaker Mohammed Abul Hasan.
The initiative for this bipartisan committee came on April 23, when Prime Minister Tarique Rahman suggested the formation of the group in Parliament. He emphasized the need for ‘rational solutions’ to the ongoing energy crisis and requested five nominations from the opposition to collaborate on this endeavor. Subsequently, Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman proposed five MPs from his side to complete the committee.
The special committee is expected to deliver its findings and recommendations to the House within 30 days after the official notification of its formation, aiming to provide viable solutions to the energy challenges faced by the country.