BPC losing Tk 83cr a day as govt keeps fuel prices subsidised: Energy minister

A written response from Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood, tabled in parliament today, affirmed that the government has fixed fuel prices at subsidised rates to protect the public interest.

The minister's written reply to a query from Sanjida Islam MP during the question-and-answer session said that until February 2026, no fuel subsidy was required as prices were adjusted monthly in line with the international market.

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However, following the war in the Middle East, international fuel prices rose abnormally from March, forcing the government to maintain previously subsidised rates. As a result, BPC incurred losses of Tk 20,059.73 crore from March to July in 2026.

Despite the losses, BPC has continued fuel imports using its own funds for five months, and is currently incurring a daily loss of about Tk 83 crore. To maintain uninterrupted imports, BPC has withdrawn Tk 17,000 crore from accounts linked to ERL Unit-2 and other projects.

BPC has requested replenishment of Tk 20,059.73 crore in subsidies from the Energy and Mineral Resources Department, which has in turn sought approval from the Finance Department to ensure uninterrupted supply.

The energy minister's response to a question from Sarwar Jamal Nizam MP said that from FY2009-10 to FY2024-25, the total cost of electricity generation was Tk 702,217 crore, while total sales revenue stood at Tk 496,475 crore.

The minister's response to another query from Farida Yasmin MP mentioned that Bangladesh currently imports 2,656MW of electricity from India and 40MW from Nepal. At the end of the interim government’s tenure, arrears on imported electricity amounted to Tk 2,904 crore.