A Year In Power

A year into Bangladesh's interim government, the power sector has avoided major blackouts, but the gas crisis has worsened. Allegations of large-scale corruption under the Awami League remain unproven, though foreign consultants will be hired to investigate. Reforms like repealing the quick enhancement law and adjusting pricing powers were introduced, yet renewable expansion stalled and import dependency deepened. While cost-cutting measures saved billions, long-term energy security remains unaddressed, leaving the next elected government to tackle mounting supply, pricing, and infrastructure challenges.

- Mollah Amzad Hossain Afroza Akther Pervin

After the Awami League government fell in the wake of the 2024 uprising, an interim administration took charge in a dramatically different political climate.

On 7 August 2025, it marked its first year in office a milestone that has sparked fresh public debate over what it has achieved, and where it has fallen short. Looking back at the past year in one of the most critical areas for Bangladesh's economy: the power and energy sectors. Over the year, the government managed to keep the lights on without major interruptions - a notable achievement in a country where power cuts have often been a daily frustration. But beneath the steady electricity supply, the energy crisis has only deepened, with the gas shortage becoming more acute.

From the outset, the interim government pledged to bring transparency, root out corruption, and expose the misdeeds of the previous administration. Yet, a year on, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has not released any conclusive findings to the public.

Allegations remain that the Awami League siphoned off billions of taka from the sector over its 15 years in power.

A recent white paper claimed that at least 10% of all spending in the power and energy sectors during that time was lost to corruption and irregularities. It is estimated that the power generation sector alone saw around USD 6.0 billion misappropriated. The committee behind the report urged the government to back up these allegations with hard evidence and to bring in foreign consultants to investigate questionable power plant contracts. That recommendation has now moved a step closer to reality. After a recent Cabinet Committee meeting, Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed announced that a policy decision had been made to hire such consultants-potentially opening the door to the first independent scrutiny of the sector in years.

Reforms