Business Desk :
Adviser to the Prime Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs, Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury has urged the US government for more investment through its International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) in Bangladesh’s renewable energy sector.
He made this request to US Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W Fernandez at a meeting held at the US Department of State in Washington DC on Thursday, said a press release.
Dr Tawfiq and Undersecretary Fernandez discussed the existing bilateral energy cooperation and explored possible ways to strengthen it further.
The energy adviser briefed the undersecretary on the policies adopted by the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to make Bangladesh self-reliant in power and energy.
He also highlighted how the Bangladesh government was diversifying its power generation using energy from various sources like gas, oil and coal, nuclear as well as renewables.
Mentioning that the current global energy shortages caused by the Ukraine war had placed many countries, including Bangladesh, at risk in sustaining their energy securities, the adviser sought the US attention to play its role to improve the situation.
Dr Tawfiq emphasised that the US should come forward with more investment in countries like Bangladesh through DFC financing.
He also encouraged the US companies for oil and gas exploration in Bangladesh’s offshore areas and to look at the prospects of nuclear power modular reactors in Bangladesh.
The undersecretary appreciated Bangladesh’s impressive socio-economic growth and achievements in poverty reduction.
Acknowledging that the Ukraine war was affecting countries of the world, the US did not impose sanctions on essential commodities like food, energy or fertilisers, Fernandez told the adviser.
The undersecretary encouraged Bangladesh to work more closely with the US to further improve labour rights and factory safety conditions to open up new opportunities and areas of cooperation.
