Asifur Rahman

Bangladesh moves a step closer to achieving its long‑cherished goal of generating nuclear energy this afternoon with the start of fuel loading into the reactor core of unit‑1 at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, marking the transition from the construction to the startup phase.

Bangladesh’s coal-fired power plants have, for the first time, outpaced gas-based generation, marking a major shift in the country’s power mix amid declining domestic gas supply and stagnant LNG imports.

The Barapukuria coal mine yard in Dinajpur is now storing more than twice its designed capacity, with stocks continuing to rise and raising concerns over fire hazards, possible heap collapse and declining coal quality.

After nearly two months of what felt like never-ending queues at filling stations in Dhaka, pressure at petrol pumps has finally started to ease.

The government continues to struggle to meet rising electricity demand amid a sweltering heatwave, with rural Bangladesh suffering frequent, lengthy outages as power generation remains under strain due to a lack of fuel.

Power cuts across the country, especially in rural areas, have worsened with the mercury rising, as the government struggles to meet even off-peak demand due to shortages of gas, coal, and furnace oil to generate enough electricity.

A sharp increase in fuel prices -- one that will ripple through every layer of the economy -- signals that the government has reached the limits of its fiscal endurance.

The government yesterday increased the price of 12kg of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to Tk 1,940, its second hike this month, with consumers fearing that the retail price in reality could climb even higher.