Dhaka: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today assured the countrymen that the nation would soon overcome the ongoing gas and power crisis. He emphasized that the government is taking immediate measures and pursuing a long-term solar power plan to reduce dependence on energy imports. 'So far, we were consumers of electricity generated from imported sources. If the government's solar power generation plan is properly implemented, we will no longer be consumers of imported energy; we will be solar power producers,' he stated during his valedictory speech in the third session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Prime Minister urged the opposition to present the actual situation to the people rather than resorting to provocative actions amid the current crisis. Tarique Rahman underscored BNP's historical record of successfully navigating the nation through previous crises, expressing confidence that, along with the opposition, the current power and gas crisis would be resolved soon.
Referring to comments made by the opposition leader on the gas and power crisis, Rahman highlighted that the issue was not new. 'This problem did not arise suddenly. For more than a decade, no effective initiative was taken to extract gas from domestic sources during the fascist regime,' he remarked. He pointed out the missed opportunities for gas extraction within Bangladesh's maritime boundaries, contrasting it with the activities of neighboring countries in the Bay of Bengal.
The Prime Minister also addressed the prevailing belief that drilling activities in the Bay had been halted to favor a specific country, criticizing the previous government's policies that led to heavy reliance on imported energy. He explained that the crisis was exacerbated by a war in the Middle East shortly after the new government's formation, which disrupted gas and oil supplies, compounded by an unexpected accident at one of the country's floating LNG terminals (FSRUs).
Rahman called on the opposition to avoid political blame games and highlighted past measures by the previous government, such as changing office and bank transaction hours and announcing additional weekly holidays for educational institutions in 2022 to manage power shortages following the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Despite these efforts, he noted that no permanent solution to the power crisis had been achieved, with state debts increasing due to favoritism towards certain groups in the name of quick rental power.
Emphasizing a collaborative approach, Tarique Rahman urged both the government and the opposition to present an accurate depiction of the situation to the public, warning against provocative behavior. He stressed that in the democratic environment achieved post-2024 Mass Uprising, such actions would only serve the interests of fallen and ousted fascist forces.
Reassuring the public of overcoming the crisis, the Prime Minister cited BNP's track record of successfully managing past challenges. 'Whenever BNP has been entrusted with governing the state in the past, it has successfully brought the country out of any disastrous situation,' he noted. He expressed confidence that, drawing from Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman's policies and the party's experience, the current gas and power crisis could be resolved soon with the opposition's cooperation.
The parliamentary session commenced at 3:00pm under Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal's chairmanship. Following Maghrib prayers, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikrom read out the President's order to conclude the session. As per tradition, Opposition Leader Dr Md Shafiqur Rahman spoke first, followed by the Leader of the House, with the Prime Minister delivering his speech at 7:45pm. The third session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad, which began on August 27, marked its conclusion today.