Energy experts warn global tensions and fuel market volatility are exposing Bangladesh’s vulnerabilities, urging rapid solar expansion and policy reforms to reduce import dependence and strengthen long-term energy security.
Energy experts on Thursday warned that rising volatility in global energy markets and escalating military tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran are exposing Bangladesh to serious economic and energy security risks, prompting fresh calls for swift investment in renewable energy, especially solar power.
At a press conference in the port city of Chattogram, speakers said uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz has created major risks for import-dependent countries like Bangladesh, which relies heavily on fuel imports from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. They urged immediate action under the leadership of the prime minister, including the declaration of energy-saving policies through coordination among professionals and experts at different levels, the adoption of priority-based measures to manage the crisis and a rapid increase in strategic investment in renewable energy as an alternative during times of fuel stress, with particular emphasis on solar power.
The press conference was organised by Environment and Ecology Forum-Chattogram with support from private development organisations ISDE Bangladesh, CLEAN and BWGED at a restaurant in the city on April 16, 2026.
In a written statement presented at the event, CAB divisional committee general secretary Bazi Iqbal Bahar Chaberi said Bangladesh would face direct supply disruptions if the Strait of Hormuz were to close. He said pressure on foreign exchange reserves, inflation and import costs had already become evident, while energy import expenses had risen sharply at the start of 2026, widening the current account deficit and increasing the risks of currency depreciation and higher inflation.
The statement said Bangladesh’s energy system has undergone major changes over the past decade, with declining domestic gas production increasing dependence on imported liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and petroleum. At present, around 80 percent of the country’s crude oil, 65 percent of its LNG and more than half of its LPG depend on the Strait of Hormuz, making the country highly vulnerable to tensions in the region.
Speakers also highlighted the immediate effects of such a crisis, saying gas shortages are leaving a large share of power generation capacity idle, reducing industrial output, raising transport costs and disrupting irrigation in agriculture. They warned that production in the ready-made garment sector could fall by as much as 40 percent and said a prolonged energy crisis would deal a major blow to the overall economy.
The written statement also pointed to long-term risks linked to fuel imports, saying Bangladesh has been locked into a costly energy structure since expanding its dependence on LNG imports in 2018. Price instability in international markets, it said, has become a major threat to economic stability, while the prices of LNG and oil have already risen several-fold, sharply increasing import costs.
Against that backdrop, experts stressed the importance of renewable energy as an alternative. They cited Pakistan’s solar power expansion as an effective example, saying the country had shown how rapid solar deployment can reduce dependence on imports within a short period.
They said Bangladesh, with more than 40 million families, could significantly ease pressure on the national grid if a large share of households adopted rooftop solar power systems.
According to the speakers, rooftop solar alone could generate several thousand megawatts of electricity, helping cut fuel imports and save foreign currency. They added that wider use of solar energy in educational institutions, government buildings and agriculture could bring even greater change.
The forum also placed 13 recommendations at the press conference. These included building national consensus to address the energy crisis, withdrawing tax and value-added tax on imports of renewable energy equipment, implementing rooftop solar programmes in public and private buildings, expanding solar-powered irrigation pumps in agriculture, introducing electric vehicles in public transport and increasing low-interest lending to boost investment in the renewable energy sector. It also recommended restructuring subsidy mechanisms in the energy sector and giving greater importance to domestic gas exploration.
Speakers said the current crisis is not only a risk but also an opportunity. They said that if the right decisions are taken now, Bangladesh can move away from an import-dependent energy structure and advance towards a sustainable and self-reliant energy system. Otherwise, they warned, the country will face even greater economic pressure in the future.
The press conference was chaired by Professor Dr Khaled Misbahuzzaman, president of Poribesh O Protipesh Forum-Chattogram and a professor at the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences at the University of Chittagong.
Among those delivering remarks were S M Nazer Hossain, vice president of CAB’s central committee and executive director of ISDE, M Nasirul Haq, member of Poribesh O Protipesh Forum-Chattogram and former president of the Chittagong Union of Journalists, forum member and CAB Chattogram metropolitan joint secretary Md Selim Jahangir, organising secretary Jannatul Ferdous and prominent politician Mitul Das Gupta.
