Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad, Secretary General of the AB Party, has stated that the energy sector in Bangladesh is no longer limited to power generation or gas supply but has increasingly become a central issue of political sovereignty.
Addressing a national convention on Sunday titled “Energy, Economy, Reform, and Referendum,” Fuad linked the country’s energy crisis directly to the question of sovereignty.
The event was organised by the Reform Implementation Committee of the Jatiya Nagorik Party at the Diploma Engineers Institute in Kakrail.
“A country may have oil and gas reserves, yet there is no electricity in the homes. In such cases, one must understand there is a ‘missing link,’ which is political sovereignty or rather, a lack of political control,” Fuad remarked.
He emphasised that while energy is often discussed in terms of reserves or trade, the most significant question remains: “Who is in control?”.
Drawing parallels with global politics, Fuad noted that wars over the past few decades were not merely fought against terrorism; instead, interventions were staged under various pretexts wherever oil, gas, and mineral resources were present.
Regarding the domestic context, he expressed deep concern over India-linked power projects. “This is not just a question of 1,500 MW of electricity; it is a question of who holds the power to make decisions,” he said, adding that such agreements serve to limit national sovereignty.
He further criticised internal management, stating that political decision-making has been the weakest aspect of the energy sector over the last five decades. He argued that instead of enhancing domestic capacity, foreign dependency was increased while local institutions were kept virtually inactive.
Fuad also raised questions about the global energy transition, asserting that “clean energy” is not just an environmental issue but a new business model being imposed on developing nations without the necessary transfer of technology.
He concluded by warning that the true crisis would remain hidden if the energy sector is viewed solely as an economic matter. “It must be understood within the framework of sovereignty,” he asserted.
