Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called on development partners to provide $2bn in urgent support to help Bangladesh meet its immediate energy needs and protect its economic stability, warning that the global crisis could reverse decades of progress.
“The situation before us demands urgency, solidarity, and decisive action. Immediate support for the most vulnerable countries must be at the top of our collective agenda,” he said while addressing the Asia Zero Emission Community Plus Online Summit. “We urge the intentional community to respond swiftly and positively to this call,” the prime minister added.
Highlighting the scale of the global energy crisis, he described it as a stark reminder of shared vulnerability and interdependence, saying that no country, regardless of size or strength, can overcome the challenge alone. The prime minister said the situation requires a coordinated and forward looking Asian response to strengthen regional energy security, address immediate supply disruptions and support the most vulnerable nations.
He said the crisis has already disrupted Bangladesh’s economy. “In response, we have taken a range of short term measures to contain the impact,” he said, outlining steps such as demand side management through rationing of government office and market hours, stabilising fuel supplies through emergency imports and diversified sourcing, and introducing consumption controls including fuel rationing and limits on retail sales to prevent hoarding and panic buying through initiatives such as Fuel App.
The prime minister warned that the scale and consequences of the crisis could exceed those of the 1970s oil shock, which led to a decade of stalled development in the 1980s. Since independence in 1971, he said Bangladesh has worked to drive economic growth, lift millions out of poverty and improve living standards. “Today, these hard own gains are in danger, facing the real threat of reversal,” he said.
He added that Bangladesh is not alone in facing the crisis and cannot overcome it through national efforts alone, stressing the need for decisive and coordinated global action to protect vulnerable countries, including Least Developed Countries, from severe economic and social impacts.
The prime minister also expressed appreciation to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for convening the summit, which was attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as well as leaders and representatives from Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor Leste. Sanae Takaichi delivered the concluding remarks at the meeting.
He delivered the address from the Sangshad Bhaban office in Dhaka, where Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr M Humayun Kabir were present.
