Staff Reporter:
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood yesterday said the previous ‘fas-cist’ Awami League government left Tk 56,000 crore in outstanding liabilities in the power sector.
He said the current government is not only paying off these dues but is also shouldering new financial obligations, forcing it to provide subsidies every month.
The minister made the remarks yesterday while speaking as the chief guest at a citizens’ dialogue on Na-tional Renewable Energy Development Strategy (2026–2030) organized by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU).
At the event, energy expert Professor Dr. M. Shamsul Alam presented the keynote paper.
The minister said that during the past fifteen and a half years, most development projects prioritized per-sonal and group interests over public welfare.
As a result, not only the power and energy sectors but also the country’s overall economy suffered signif-icant losses, said Iqbal.
He added that the responsibility for addressing the crises and challenges left behind by the previous gov-ernment now rests with the current administration.
He said the current government is facing additional financial pressure due to past fiscal mismanagement.
Because of contracts signed by the previous administration, the government is now compelled to pur-chase electricity at comparatively higher prices, he said, adding that delays in paying outstanding bills to power producers could disrupt electricity generation.
Considering these realities, the government has decided to adjust electricity tariffs, he said.
Iqbal said the government is placing the highest priority on renewable energy—particularly solar pow-er—to reduce dependence on imported energy.
He expressed hope that expanding the use of renewable energy would also reduce the country’s energy import costs.
