The National Review Committee on the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources has called on the Interim Government to engage a reputed international legal and investigative firm to aid its assessment of major power generation contracts signed during Sheikh Hasina's tenure between 2009 and 2024.
In a significant resolution adopted on Sunday (24 November) the committee, chaired by Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury, emphasised the necessity for further analysis of both solicited and unsolicited agreements, seeking additional time to complete its review.
The committee aims to gather evidence that could pave the way for renegotiation or cancellation of contracts in compliance with international arbitration laws and protocols.
“To facilitate this, we recommend the immediate engagement of one or more top-quality international legal and investigative firms to assist our committee,” the resolution stated, highlighting the importance of adhering to global standards to ensure the acceptability of findings in international negotiations and arbitration.
Currently, the committee is conducting an in-depth investigation into several key power projects, including:
- Adani (Godda) BIFPCL – 1234.4 MW coal-fired power plant
- Payra – 1320 MW coal-based power plant
- Meghnaghat – 335 MW dual-fuel power plant
- Ashuganj – 195 MW gas-based power plant
- Bashkhali – 612 MW coal-based power plant
- Meghnaghat – 583 MW dual-fuel power plant
- Meghnaghat – 584 MW gas/RLNG power plant
The committee underscored its commitment to ensuring that investigations align with international standards, thereby strengthening Bangladesh’s position in any subsequent arbitration or renegotiation process.
The review comes amidst increased scrutiny of energy agreements signed during Sheikh Hasina's administration, with critics alleging a lack of transparency and fairness in several deals.
Involvement of an international legal firm is anticipated to lend credibility to the committee’s findings and enhance the prospects of rectifying potentially unfavourable contracts.
