Ruling out any uncertainty over the country’s energy security, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Ministries Prof Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir has said a midterm roadmap for energy security will be presented in the upcoming national budget.
“In the upcoming national budget, we will get a roadmap on midterm energy security. In addition, we need a clear investment plan because a roadmap alone is not enough without the necessary financing,” he told reporters at the Secretariat on Sunday, highlighting the government’s efforts to address the current energy situation.
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Prof Titumir said the government is taking all necessary steps to tackle energy supply challenges.
He stressed that diversifying energy sources is essential to ensuring long-term energy security for the country.
He said the government remains sincere and proactive in addressing the situation while acknowledging the existing challenges. “We have no reason to be worried, “
He also said a committee has already been formed and they are also exploring financing options through both domestic and international sources including support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Islamic Development Bank.
Besides, the government is engaging with US companies and Southeast Asian countries to explore further cooperation in the energy sector.
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The Adviser said Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood is now visiting Tokyo, Japan (to participate in the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial and Business Forum), being held on March 14-15.
The forum is co-hosted by the Chair and Vice Chair of the U.S. National Energy Dominance Council, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Akazawa Ryosei.
Ministers for energy from Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam are also participating in the event.
During the two-day forum, participating Ministers will engage in discussions on strengthening energy security in the Indo-Pacific region, with a focus on ensuring the supply of abundant, reliable, affordable, secure, and dispatchable energy.
In the two weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump increasingly has been knocked on his political heels, reports AP.
He’s grown more agitated with news coverage and has failed to find a way to explain why he started the war - or how he will end it - that resonates with a public concerned by American deaths in the conflict, surging oil prices and dropping financial markets. Even some of his supporters are questioning his plan and his overall poll numbers are declining, reports AP.
Meanwhile, Moscow is getting a boost from the war’s early days after Trump eased sanctions on some Russian oil shipments. That, combined with rising oil prices, undercut the yearslong push to crimp President Vladimir Putin’s ability to wage war in Ukraine.
Then there are Democrats, who were left reeling after Trump won the 2024 election. With control of Congress at stake in November’s midterms, the party has come together to oppose Trump’s Iran policy and point to the economic turmoil as proof that Republicans haven’t kept their promises to bring down everyday costs.
Bangladesh has received reassurance from Iran regarding the safe passage of fuel shipments amid growing concerns about global oil supply disruptions.
Iranian Ambassador to Bangladesh Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi on Friday said his country Iran stands ready to ensure that Bangladeshi oil tankers can pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz, despite the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
"I have seen that there is an energy crisis in your country. Due to the energy problem, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the Energy Minister (Iqbal Hassan Mahmood) have requested the Iranian government to allow Bangladeshi oil tankers to pass through," said the Ambassador.
“I have spoken with Iranian government officials and they are ready. If you have vessels willing to transport fuel, we will allow them to pass safely so that the people of Bangladesh do not face difficulties,” the Ambassador told reporters following an event in Dhaka.