Asifur Rahman

Power Outage: Only one-third plants operating at full capacity

Of the 153 power plants in the country, 49 are operating at capacity, which explains the ongoing power outages amid the searing summer heat.

1d ago

Payra Plant’s Temporary Closure: Govt counting on power plants under trial run

With the country’s biggest power producer, Payra Power Plant, temporarily closing yesterday, the government is now looking at plants that are doing dry runs to ease load shedding.     

2d ago

Not improving anytime soon

Nobody knows exactly when the power cuts will end

3d ago

City dwellers swelter amid power cuts

As the current heatwave gets worse, the country’s power shortage shows no signs of improvement.

4d ago

Gone are the days of glory

There was a time not so long ago when Bangladesh Film Development Corporation was abuzz with various activities -- from shooting films to dubbing and editing.

5d ago

Power, Energy Budget: Revenue comes before plight of the people

The budget almost halved the allocation for the energy sector and proposed a flat import duty of Tk 13.75 for each litre of 11 imported refined petroleum products instead of the current 15 percent VAT and 5 percent advance tax on import.

6d ago

Power cuts may worsen in June

Power cuts are likely to increase in June as the dollar crisis, fuel shortage and maintenance work leave around 45 percent of the country’s power generation capacity unutilised at a time when the mercury is rising again.

1w ago

Unpaid power plant’s gas line severed over dues

Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Ltd (KGDCL) has severed gas connection of a Regent Power plant in Chattogram as the plant owes it Tk 8 crore in bills.

1w ago

Starved of coal: Payra power plant may shut for weeks

Coal shortage has forced officials to shut down a 660 megawatt unit of Payra power plant on May 25, a first in its three years of operation, and if things stay as they are, the other unit of the plant will stop production in about a week.

1w ago

Household gas: Gas price may rise by up to Tk 512 a month

Without conducting a proper study, Titas has said the average household gas consumption is a lot more than the estimation made by the energy regulator last year.

3w ago

A third of power capacity unutilised

About one-third of the country’s total power generation capacity remains unutilised when people across the country are enduring mild and moderate heatwaves.

4w ago

Offshore Gas Exploration: Petrobangla drafts new negotiation guidelines

Petrobangla has prepared a draft of the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) for offshore gas exploration that improves the state-owned company’s bargaining position when it sits down for negotiation with global oil companies.

On the cusp of finding a new gas field

Bapex believes it has discovered a gas field at Ilisha union in Bhola.

Outages intensify despite record power generation

Frequent power cuts outside the cities have been making people’s lives miserable for a week amid the heatwave.

Adani Power chapter begins in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has started to receive about 750 megawatts of electricity from the Adani power plant in India yesterday, putting to bed the suspense surrounding the start of the cross-border transmission.

Transmitting Adani’s power to get costlier

The overall cost for transmitting electricity from the Adani power plant in Godda, Jharkhand is set to increase further as two projects meant for that end are eyeing cost and time revisions.

Electricity price hiked again by 5pc

The government yesterday increased the electricity price by 5 percent, the third such hike this year, at a time when fuel and energy prices are on the decline around the world.

Adani power purchase against ‘public policy’: How could such a deal be signed?

"It is a punishable offence to sign such a contract -- we believe that our agencies have the ability to identify the corruption in this deal"

Heads Adani wins, tails Bangladesh loses

Gain is for Gautam Adani and loss for Bangladesh: that is how the electricity purchase deal with the Indian business tycoon may turn out to be

Power Supply During Summer: At least $4.45b needed to cover fuel costs

At least $4.45 billion is needed in fuel costs to ensure adequate power supply from February to June, when demand is set to increase by more than 50 percent, the Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) estimates.

BPDB seeks discount from Adani Power

Bangladesh has sought a temporary discount from Adani Power on the price of coal that would fire the thermal power plant in Godda, Jharkhand in light of the escalating prices, said the Indian electricity producer.

Bottled LPG Price: BERC rate just on paper

Retailers are not following the fixed price of bottled liquified petroleum gas using the excuse of a supply crunch and a dated pricing method.

Retail power price: Hiked again, in just 3 weeks

The government yesterday increased the electricity price once again by 5 percent at the retail level -- the second hike in 19 days as it steadily retracts subsidies from the power sector while piling the burden on common people already struggling with inflation.

Fixing Energy Prices: Govt curtails BERC’s power as regulator

Due to government interventions, the independent oversight of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission is being compromised, crippling its ability to ensure transparency in the sector, energy at a reasonable cost, and consumers’ interest protection.

Big hike in gas prices for power plants, industry

The government yesterday raised the retail price of gas by 14.5 percent to 178.9 percent for industries, power plants and commercial establishments,

Power price hiked by 5pc

The government yesterday raised the electricity price for consumers, on average, by 5 percent, skirting around procedures of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC).

We want better energy ties with Delhi: Nasrul

Bangladesh wants deeper ties with India in energy and power sector to avoid future energy crisis, State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said yesterday.

Adani Godda Power Plant: Bangladesh likely to get 750MW by March

Bangladesh will start getting electricity from India’s Adani Godda Power Plant in March, said Nasrul Hamid, the state minister for power, energy and mineral resources.

1,000MW solar power project stuck in red tape

Despite the government’s commitment in the national plan to increase production of renewable energy, an investment proposal to produce 1,000 megawatts of solar power is waiting for approval at a time when the country is facing persistent power-cuts.

Ready for a grand gathering

Though the ruling Awami League said it will hold its 22nd national council in a simple manner, yesterday’s scenario at Suhrawardy Udyan hinted at a huge gathering.

Power, gas to get costlier

The prices of electricity, gas and diesel are set to increase one by one as the government pulls back the subsidies in keeping with the austerity measures.

Power import from Adani plant delayed

Power import from the controversial Adani Godda power plant has been delayed once again as the 1,600 megawatts thermal plant is yet to be complete.

Govt wrests control of energy pricing

Electricity and gas prices can now be adjusted without a public hearing after the cabinet yesterday amended a law, paving the way for introducing dynamic energy pricing in Bangladesh.

Power tariff hike will add to woes

The decision to increase the wholesale price of electricity by 19.92 per cent to Tk 6.20 per unit has raised concerns among businesses who say consumers may soon have to bear the added burden.

Electricity price up 19.92pc at producers’ end

Electricity price at the producers’ end was yesterday hiked by 19.92 percent, a development that is expected to fuel inflation as the distributors ultimately pass on the burden to end users.

Power distributor seeks to hike retail price

Even though the state minister for power assured that the bulk power price hike would not have any implication on consumers right away, a distributor has already submitted a proposal to increase retail electricity price.

Gas Crisis: No end to plight anytime soon

The acute gas crisis, which has been plaguing the industrial sector and households, is unlikely to see a drastic improvement anytime soon.

Oil import for 2023: BPC gets nod to buy 54 lakh tonnes

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs yesterday granted Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation permission to import 54 lakh tonnes of oil next year in a bid to secure supply of the key commodity amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine and geopolitical tension.

Solar power the saviour

Bangladesh could generate 6,500 megawatts of solar electricity in the next three years if the country invests $11 billion in solar instead of importing LNG from the spot market at the same cost, said global energy think-tank Ember.

21 Dhaka neighbourhoods: Power outages every other hour

People living in the capital’s Shyampur, Nandalalpur, Kajla or Matuail experienced load-shedding every alternate hour yesterday. 

Not following procedure caused grid failure: PGCB probe report

Three factors caused the national grid failure on October 4, found the probe body of Power Grid Company of Bangladesh.

BERC may hike bulk electricity price tomorrow

Amid a deepening power crisis in the country, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission may hike the bulk electricity price tomorrow.

Load-shedding worsens sharply

Power outages during the three-day weekend were so frequent that they prompted the state minister for power to speak about the extent of the problem yesterday.

Power grid failure: Result of neglect, lessons not learnt

Experts blame poor electricity transmission equipment, the lack of a smart grid, and the ill-equipped National Load Dispatch Centre for Tuesday’s national grid failure that caused power blackouts in half the country.

Blackout hits half the country

The country yesterday suffered the worst power outage in eight years, which, according to officials, was triggered by a trip at a substation in Ghorashal.

Loadshedding: The relief assured yet to materialise

The government’s assurance of relief from power cuts within September is likely to fall flat as people in the capital and elsewhere continue to suffer frequent loadshedding in sweltering heat.

Foodpanda: Customers question rationality of ‘platform fee’

Food delivery platform foodpanda Bangladesh has imposed a “platform fee” of Tk 3 since August, payable on every order by the customer. 

All-out effort to tame rice prices

The government yesterday slashed the import duty on rice and is also working to import about 12 lakh tonnes of food grain including rice as it looks to rein in the price of the staple amid a cost of living crisis.

June 7, 2023
June 7, 2023

Power Outage: Only one-third plants operating at full capacity

Of the 153 power plants in the country, 49 are operating at capacity, which explains the ongoing power outages amid the searing summer heat.

June 6, 2023
June 6, 2023

Payra Plant’s Temporary Closure: Govt counting on power plants under trial run

With the country’s biggest power producer, Payra Power Plant, temporarily closing yesterday, the government is now looking at plants that are doing dry runs to ease load shedding.     

June 5, 2023
June 5, 2023

Not improving anytime soon

Nobody knows exactly when the power cuts will end

June 4, 2023
June 4, 2023

City dwellers swelter amid power cuts

As the current heatwave gets worse, the country’s power shortage shows no signs of improvement.

June 3, 2023
June 3, 2023

Gone are the days of glory

There was a time not so long ago when Bangladesh Film Development Corporation was abuzz with various activities -- from shooting films to dubbing and editing.

June 2, 2023
June 2, 2023

Power, Energy Budget: Revenue comes before plight of the people

The budget almost halved the allocation for the energy sector and proposed a flat import duty of Tk 13.75 for each litre of 11 imported refined petroleum products instead of the current 15 percent VAT and 5 percent advance tax on import.

May 31, 2023
May 31, 2023

Power cuts may worsen in June

Power cuts are likely to increase in June as the dollar crisis, fuel shortage and maintenance work leave around 45 percent of the country’s power generation capacity unutilised at a time when the mercury is rising again.

May 29, 2023
May 29, 2023

Unpaid power plant’s gas line severed over dues

Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Ltd (KGDCL) has severed gas connection of a Regent Power plant in Chattogram as the plant owes it Tk 8 crore in bills.

May 28, 2023
May 28, 2023

Starved of coal: Payra power plant may shut for weeks

Coal shortage has forced officials to shut down a 660 megawatt unit of Payra power plant on May 25, a first in its three years of operation, and if things stay as they are, the other unit of the plant will stop production in about a week.

May 17, 2023
May 17, 2023

Household gas: Gas price may rise by up to Tk 512 a month

Without conducting a proper study, Titas has said the average household gas consumption is a lot more than the estimation made by the energy regulator last year.