Bangladesh’s Minister of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, informed Parliament that as of April 9, 2026, the total outstanding bills owed by public and private power plants amount to Tk 52,300.88 crore. He disclosed this while responding to a question from a ruling party lawmaker during a parliamentary session chaired by Deputy Speaker Qaiser Kamal. The minister added that Petrobangla is owed Tk 11,634.06 crore in gas bills, while Tk 3,891.55 crore remains unpaid for electricity imports from India. He also noted that power plants have bank loans totaling Tk 149,311.26 crore.

Mahmud said the government has introduced fuel cards on a trial basis at several filling stations in Dhaka to enhance transparency in fuel distribution. He further stated that Bangladesh imports 50 percent of refined fuel under direct contracts with countries including Kuwait, Malaysia, China, the UAE, Indonesia, Thailand, Oman, and India, while the rest is procured through open tenders. Crude oil is imported mainly from Saudi Arabia and the UAE via the Strait of Hormuz.

The minister also confirmed that the government has repealed the controversial quick rental power law and initiated efforts to recover embezzled funds allegedly laundered abroad during previous administrations.