A special parliamentary committee has recommended building a strategic fuel reserve capable of meeting Bangladesh’s demand for at least three months and diversifying fuel import sources to bolster the country’s long-term energy security.
The committee also placed 12 recommendations aimed at addressing recent vulnerabilities in the energy sector and preventing similar crises in the future, with a strong emphasis on renewable energy expansion, digital monitoring and infrastructure acceleration.
Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood presented the committee’s report in parliament on Sunday.
The report also incorporated 10 additional recommendations from opposition lawmakers, many of which focused on realistic demand forecasting, domestic resource exploration and reducing overdependence on single energy sources.
The committee underscored the need to strengthen Bangladesh’s fuel storage system by expanding strategic reserves to cover a minimum of three months of national demand, warning that the country remains vulnerable to global supply disruptions.
It also recommended diversifying fuel import sources, saying reliance on limited supply channels could heighten risks during geopolitical instability.
According to the report, the country’s fuel supply system has come under mounting pressure due to rising global fuel prices, instability in the Middle East, disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, global supply-chain uncertainty, and domestic challenges including panic buying, illegal stockpiling and black-market activity.
The resulting uncertainty, the committee noted, has affected transport, agriculture, industry and the wider public, raising concerns over energy availability and price stability.
Fast-tracking key projects
To improve supply resilience, the committee urged the government to accelerate implementation of several major energy infrastructure projects, including the Dhaka–Chattogram pipeline, the Single Point Mooring (SPM) project, and the second unit of Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL-2).
The report also recommended exploring whether private companies could be allowed to import fuel products alongside the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) through a feasibility study.
The committee stressed the need to increase the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and renewable energy as alternative energy sources.
It called for an integrated national energy plan that balances oil, gas, coal, solar and wind power, while also recommending the mandatory installation of rooftop solar systems and regular monitoring to ensure their effectiveness.
The report further advised taking measures to reduce system losses in electricity distribution, alongside introducing comprehensive digital monitoring across the fuel and power supply chain.
It also urged stronger public awareness campaigns to discourage irrational stockpiling and panic buying during crises.
Opposition members proposed forming an independent expert committee free from political influence to assess energy and power demand, arguing that exaggerated projections have often resulted in unrealistic planning.
They also recommended maximising coal-fired power generation, increasing domestic gas production, launching new onshore and offshore gas exploration, continuing crude oil exploration, and expediting implementation of the SPM and ERL-2 projects.
In addition, the opposition called for a large-scale expansion of solar power, feasibility assessments for micro-hydro projects in hilly regions, and exploration of river-flow-based electricity generation.
Other recommendations included research into hydrogen fuel technology, biogas and waste-to-energy systems, as well as reducing the use of government vehicles during energy crises.
The opposition maintained that Bangladesh must diversify its energy mix to reduce excessive dependence on any single source.
The 10-member special parliamentary committee, comprising members from both the government and opposition, was formed on April 26 to review Bangladesh’s energy security situation and recommend future actions in the national interest.