To meet the rapidly growing fuel demand of coal-based power plants, Bangladesh is importing a record amount of coal through the country’s key maritime gateway –Chattogram Port.
Data shows that coal imports have jumped 573 per cent in the past nine years, driven by the expansion of major coal-fired power plants and rising electricity demand across the nation.
Officials and logistics operators said that more than 70 per cent of Bangladesh’s total coal imports now pass through Chattogram Port, while smaller volumes are handled at Mongla and Payra ports. The imported coal comes from multiple countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia, Taiwan, and South Africa.
According to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), coal imports through Chattogram Port reached 13.43 lakh metric tons in the 2016–17 fiscal year. Imports grew steadily each year, hitting 90.44 lakh metric tons in 2024–25—a nearly sixfold increase.
Although there was a slight decline during the COVID-19 years (2020–2022) due to low power demand and global supply disruptions, imports began to surge again from the 2022–23 fiscal year.
In just the first three months and 20 days of the 2025–26 fiscal year, Bangladesh has already imported 4.6 million tons of coal, suggesting another record-breaking year ahead.
According to data from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), 13.43 lakh metric tons of coal were imported through Chattogram Port in the 2016–17 fiscal year, 15.25 lakh metric tons in 2017–18, 30.42 lakh metric tons in 2018–19, 42.26 lakh metric tons in 2019–20, 36.43 lakh metric tons in 2020–21, 28.65 lakh metric tons in 2021–22, 32.98 lakh metric tons in 2022–23, 44.79 lakh metric tons in 2023–24, 90.44 lakh metric tons in 2024–25, and 45.94 lakh metric tons from July to October 20 of the 2025–26 fiscal year.
A broader review of all ports shows that coal imports stood at 4.72 million tons in 2021, 6.59 million tons in 2022, 9.89 million tons in 2023, and an astonishing 12.7 million tons in 2024. In just the first eight months of 2025, coal imports have already reached 12.8 million tons, and industry insiders expect the figure to cross 20 million tons by year’s end.
Coal-based power generation has become one of the key pillars of Bangladesh’s energy sector, now contributing over 25 percent of the country’s total electricity output.
According to the Power Cell under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, as of October 2025, the installed generation capacity of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) stood at 28,197 MW—of which 7,179 MW (25.46%) comes from coal-fired plants.
The country’s largest coal-fired power stations include: Maitree Super Thermal Power Project (Rampal) – 1,320 MW, Payra Thermal Power Plant – 1,320 MW, Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal-Fired Power Station – 1,200 MW.
In addition, the SS Power Plant—a 1320 MW private venture jointly owned by S. Alam Group and China’s SEPCOIII—has joined the national grid since September 2023.
While coal-fired generation has strengthened Bangladesh’s energy security, experts warn that this heavy dependence poses serious environmental risks.
Environmentalists note that carbon emissions and air pollution from coal combustion are increasing rapidly, aggravating the effects of climate change and threatening local air quality.
K.M.M. Resalat Rajib, Executive Director (Operations and Conservation) of Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL), said the Matarbari Power Plant requires 12,000 metric tons of coal daily to operate at full capacity (1,200 MW). This translates to about 4.38 million tons annually.
“Due to periodic maintenance and partial load operations, the effective requirement is around 85 percent of full capacity, or roughly 3.6 million tons in the 2025–26 fiscal year,” he told The Times of Bangladesh.
Similarly, Md. Moallam Hossain, General Manager (Accounts & Finance) of Bangladesh-China Power Company Ltd., operator of the Payra Power Plant, said their annual coal demand was 3.4 million tons in 2024–25, with a target of 3 million tons for the 2025–26 fiscal year.
