Chief Adviser's Special Assistant for Power and Energy Ministry Tamim yesterday said no more gas-based power plant will be set up in the country as there is a shortage of the fossil fuel.

“No more gas-based power plant to be set up in the country,” he said while addressing a seminar titled 'Bangladesh's main challenges to meet future electricity demand'.

Referring to the country's chronic gas crisis that hampers the electricity generation, Tamim said a team is now visiting the gas-based power plants to identify their efficiency level.

Terming the present gas crisis as a legacy of the past, Tamim, a former professor of petroleum engineering of Buet, said only one gas field was discovered in the country in the last 10 years. “So, the present government has to think about gas import.”

He said the use of electricity is increasing day by day because of its cheaper price.

Describing the government's steps to boost gas production, Tamim said state-owned Bapex was recently allocated the highest fund to expedite its operation. “Even we've accepted the price that Bapex offered for its new gas field.”

Urging the country's political parties to reach a consensus on the energy issue, he said, “We should go for multiple approaches in resolving the country's power and energy crises.”

“We're going to hand over power to an elected political government. So, they should take experts to deal with the matters,” he added.

Taking a swipe at critics, the CA's special assistant said they should come up with their alternative solution to the crisis instead of doing criticism.

Organised by Energy and Power magazine at CIRDAP auditorium, the seminar was addressed, among others, by Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Chairman Ghulam Rahman, former PDB chairman Quamrul Islam Siddique, Planning Commission member AMM Nasir Uddin, and Power Cell Director General Abdul Jalil.