RE: Fuel sector is the main driving force of the national economy26 Oct 2025 17:20
Consider what Mohammad Saiful Islam, secretary to the energy and mineral resources division, said at the seminar. The Daily Star newspaper quoted him as saying "At times, we've struggled to pay coal import bills due to the foreign currency crisis. We must decide whether to use our own coal for power generation."
This is the crux of the issue. How long can we afford to keep our reserves untouched and go on spending meager foreign currency to pay for the imports? To some experts, the problem can be solved by allowing foreign companies to extract our reserves and reduce the dependence on imports. They argue that a delay in making the decision may turn disastrous as Barapukuria, the country’s lone coal-fired power plant may shut down within a few years for a lack of supply.
Those who back the use of local coal refer to its superior quality than imported coal. The seminar was told that the quality of local coal is superior, with a higher calorific value, meaning 26-30 percent less coal is required to generate the same amount of electricity compared to imported coal. There are rival views too. Some experts argue that the extraction of the country’s own reserves will be costly pushing the prices of coal high. According to them, imported coal prices are still lower than locally mined coal. They also highlight the concern over the open-pit mining’s impact on the environment, agricultural land, houses of villagers, and their livelihoods. These are questions that surely call for a scientific assessment.
And just incase there was any doubt as to what Additional Secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Department Dr. Nurunnahar Chowdhury thinks about coal here’s his bit from March 2025…….
The need to make a bold decision is highlighted by the fact that the domestic coal reserves are dwindling fast, and there is an urgent need to cut down on imports. A way for an environment-friendly win-win solution can surely be found if sincere efforts are made.
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