The government expects to ensure uninterrupted electricity supplies across both urban and rural areas within the next one and a half to two years, according to Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman.
He said the target would be supported by several major initiatives, including the installation of a new floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), increased exploration of domestic gas, the full operation of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and the connection of gas from Bhola to the national grid.
Dr Zahed made the remarks at a weekly press briefing on the progress of government activities at the conference room of the Press Information Department in the Secretariat on Tuesday morning.
Explaining the reasons behind the current electricity shortages, the adviser said the power sector was facing pressure from fuel shortages, mechanical problems at power plants and increased demand resulting from a rise in economic activity. The government, he said, was therefore pursuing both immediate measures and longer-term plans to address the situation.
He also referred to changes in the way electricity shortages are being managed between urban and rural areas. According to him, the previous practice of maintaining relatively uninterrupted power supplies in Dhaka and other major cities while imposing heavier load-shedding in rural areas has been abandoned.
The government has instead adopted a policy of distributing the temporary burden of load-shedding more evenly between cities and villages, he said.
New LNG terminal among key measures
Dr Zahed said establishing a new FSRU would take around one and a half to two years. Once operational, the facility would increase the country’s capacity to import liquefied natural gas, potentially strengthening fuel supplies for power generation.
At the same time, efforts are under way to increase the use of domestic gas resources. A Tk5 billion project is being implemented to bring gas from Bhola into the national grid, while Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company is carrying out work involving the drilling and re-drilling of 150 wells.
The adviser also gave an update on the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. He said the trial operation process was expected to begin in September, with the plant scheduled to supply electricity to the national grid at full capacity from next year.
Taken together, these projects are expected to improve the reliability of the country’s power supply over the next two years. The government’s stated objective is to reduce the pressure caused by fuel shortages and growing electricity demand while strengthening the underlying supply system.
Malaysia to recruit 10,000 Bangladeshi workers
The briefing also covered overseas employment. Dr Zahed said Malaysia had taken a policy decision to recruit 10,000 new workers from Bangladesh without charging recruitment-related costs, including air fares.
He said the decision followed continued diplomatic efforts by the government. The new arrangement would also expand the number of recruitment agencies allowed to participate.
Alongside the 25 principal agencies that had previously been authorised, another 312 organisations would be allowed to operate as associate recruiting agencies for sending workers to Malaysia, according to the adviser.
The move, he said, would provide a broader recruitment framework than the system that had previously been in place.
Government cites missing-child statistics
Responding to concerns over missing children, Dr Zahed said the issue was not a crisis that had emerged suddenly.
He presented figures showing that 13,876 general diaries concerning missing persons had been recorded between June and December 2025. During the following seven months, 15,717 such general diaries were registered.
The figures, he said, indicated a broadly similar pattern rather than a sudden escalation. At the same time, he stressed that the government was treating every reported disappearance seriously and taking steps to respond to individual cases.
Fertiliser stocks exceed last year’s level
The adviser also sought to address concerns over possible fertiliser shortages. He said the country currently had stocks of 1,200,861 metric tonnes of fertiliser, including urea, triple superphosphate and diammonium phosphate.
At the same point last year, total stocks stood at around 1.2 million metric tonnes. The current stock level is therefore higher than it was a year earlier, according to the figures presented at the briefing.
However, maintaining adequate stocks is only one part of the supply chain. The government is also working to address irregularities in distribution and ensure that fertiliser reaches farmers on time, he said.
Steps planned to protect journalists’ livelihoods
The government also plans to take legal measures concerning the employment and livelihood security of journalists.
Dr Zahed said the process of implementing the ninth Wage Board and forming the tenth Wage Board was continuing. He added that the government would move towards bringing television and online news organisations under a common legal framework.
The proposed measures are intended to strengthen the professional rights and employment security of news workers, he said.
Rules planned for battery-powered rickshaws
The briefing also touched on the regulation of battery-powered rickshaws. A detailed set of rules is being prepared under the leadership of the Local Government Division, with provisions expected to address the vehicles’ mechanical characteristics as well as the routes on which they may operate.
The adviser also said a monthly allowance of Tk3,000 had been included in the pay scale to help meet the medical and care-related expenses associated with children with special needs.
Laldia terminal expected to support trade
The government also highlighted the foundation-laying of the Laldia Container Terminal at Chattogram Port with Danish assistance. The project was described at the briefing as an initiative that could contribute to greater economic activity by strengthening port-related infrastructure.
Chattogram Port plays a central role in Bangladesh’s trade, and improvements to its container-handling infrastructure are expected to support the movement of goods through the country’s principal maritime gateway.
The briefing was attended by Press Information Department Chief Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmed, Information Ministry Additional Secretary KM Abdul Wadud and Deputy Chief Information Officer of the Press Information Department Fakhrul Islam.
