Govt to shut diesel-run power plants, keep fuel stations closed once a week

The government has decided to suspend operations at diesel-fuelled power plants and keep fuel stations closed for one day a week in a bid to conserve electricity amid a global energy crisis.

The decisions were made during a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office on Monday, reports bdnews24.com.

The other steps that are being considered include cutting down office hours and emphasising remote work, introducing an area-wise load shedding schedule and moderating the use of air conditioners.

"The most significant aspect of our discussion centred on reducing power generation in order to bring down costs to a sustainable level. We have decided to suspend power generation using diesel for the time being. It will save a lot of money,” Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, the prime minister's energy adviser, said at a media briefing on Monday.

"We are planning to close petrol pumps once a week from tomorrow," State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said.

Bangladesh has been grappling with a power crunch as the war in Ukraine continues to drive up the cost of fuel in the international market.

The state minister had previously suggested hiking fuel prices in the country to keep in step with the global market.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also stressed the need for austerity in electricity consumption as rising costs forced a rollback in power production.