BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has assured the public that normal gas supply will be restored by the first or second week of September. After what appears to be several weeks of severe shortages, factory disruptions, and household frustration, this is a commitment that demands scrutiny -- and follow‑through.
We are no strangers to repeated assurances about energy stabilization in the past, only to see the crisis persist. This time, the government must be held to its word.
While the crisis has rightfully been attributed to global instability, pointing to the US-Israel attack on Iran and the subsequent conflict and disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, there is no denying that Bangladesh has not planned well when it comes to diversifying its energy sources.
Bangladesh’s domestic energy failures are a result of more than just global events, and the public deserves clarity, not deflection when it comes to them. The crisis has already caused widespread hardship, and citizens need solutions, not geopolitical narratives.
While Prime Minister Tarique Rahman allocating Tk40,000 crore to the energy and power sector to address the shortage is certainly a significant sum, it is meaningless if it does not translate into measurable improvements. Bangladesh has seen large allocations before, but without transparent implementation, spending alone does not guarantee relief.
The real test here is simple: Will households and industries actually experience the normalization promised by September?
Bangladesh cannot afford another cycle of promises without action. The gas and power crisis has undermined industrial output, strained household budgets, and weakened public confidence.
The government must deliver tangible results, and will be judged by whether gas actually flows again, not by statements made at press briefings.
