President calls for ensuring optimal use of energy

President Mohammed Shahabuddin today (Aug 8) urged everyone to be more responsible and careful in ensuring safe, affordable and optimal use of all energy, including natural gas, to prevent wastage of energy.

The head of the state came up with the call by issuing a message on the eve of the National Energy Security Day to be observed tomorrow (Aug 9).

"The role of the energy sector in the country's socio-economic development, industrialisation and poverty alleviation is immense," he said, adding:"I welcome the initiative of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division to celebrate the 'National Energy Security Day-2023' like every year to ensure energy security and to make the people economical and aware of the best use of energy."

He believed that this year's theme of the day - 'Conviction of Smart Bangladesh, Energy Savings '-is time-befitting.

 With the aim of accelerating the socio-economic development of the country after independence, the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took into consideration the issue of energy security by taking a groundbreaking step in the storage, supply and distribution of fuel oil by officially accepting five gas fields from the then British Oil company 'Shell Oil' on August 9 in 1975.

Through the wisdom and visionary decisions of the Father of the Nation, energy security was established in the country, he said, adding that uninterrupted energy supply is one of the prerequisites for ensuring the country's economic growth.

In view of this, the government is taking and implementing appropriate plans to increase production of domestic natural gas and coal.

He said various steps, including import of liquefied natural gas (LNG), have been taken to meet the growing energy demand.

"Optimum and equitable utilisation of limited resources as well as prevention of wastage is essential to ensure energy security," he said.

For this reason, people should be encouraged to use energy-mixed and alternative renewable energy by reducing sole dependency on natural gas.

In order to increase the reserves of natural energy in the country, exploration activities should be strengthened and production, transmission and distribution activities should be accelerated, he mentioned.

President Shahabuddin wished all the programmes taken marking the day a success.