Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury informed Parliament that an additional 42,600 crore is required for subsidies in the oil, gas, power, and fertilizer sectors due to global market instability and Middle East conflicts. This includes 10,258 crore for oil, 11,170 crore for gas, 19,821 crore for power, and 1,350 crore for fertilizer. The government continues to provide necessary policy and financial support to protect the general public, agriculture, and production sectors.
The Finance Minister noted that recent instability in the Middle East, including Iran, poses both immediate and potential risks to Bangladesh's economy. The impact is primarily seen in fuel, fertilizer, import costs, transportation expenses, inflation, foreign exchange management, remittances, and foreign employment. The government is closely monitoring the situation and taking steps such as diversifying fuel import sources, exploring local gas, ensuring the supply of essential goods, managing foreign exchange cautiously, and exploring alternative labor markets.
The Finance Minister emphasized that reliable data on sector-specific losses is needed to implement necessary policy and administrative measures. The government remains committed to supporting the affected sectors and mitigating the economic impact of the current global instability.
