Challenge of Energy Sector in Bangladesh

Bangladesh, with its around 160 million people in a land mass of 147,570 sq km, has shown tremendous growth in recent years. A booming economic growth, rapid urbanization and increased industrialization and development have increased the country's demand for energy. One can call it an energy hungry country. It is facing great crisis due to price hike of petroleum product in the global market. Limited energy sources of the country are retarding the acceleration growth of power. Increased price of the imported petroleum products is contributing to the rise of power and transport costs. Because of price rise of the petroleum products and failure to supply adequate natural gas from the existing gas fields are hurting the fast growing economy of the country. Prices of the agricultural products are rising because of mounting irrigation and fertilizer costs. Erratic power supply and higher power costs are attributing to the rise of daily necessary commodities. The generation of power and supply of natural gas cannot cope with the growth of various economic sectors. As a result new residential as well as industrial power and gas connection is restricted for the time being.

2.0 What provides our energy?

Today, humans exploit many different forms of energy. However, fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) account for around four-fifths of total energy use – a share that has been largely unchanged for the last one hundred years. These fossil fuels dominate because they're relatively cheap, abundant and energy rich, and the global infrastructure is well equipped to produce, deliver and use them.Energy mix of the country consists of natural gas, petroleum products, coal, biomass, hydro, some nonconventional energy like solar, and biogas.

Different energy sources are used in different sectors. Motorized transport is fuelled almost entirely by oil and compressed natural gas (CNG), while heating is provided by a