Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday proposed the formation of a 10-member joint committee in Parliament to address the country’s ongoing energy crisis.

Seeking five nominations from the opposition, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for "rational solutions" in the national interest, marking a significant step toward bipartisan cooperation.

The proposed committee will be chaired by Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku and will consist of five members from the treasury bench and five from the opposition.

Addressing the House, the Prime Minister stated, “We have decided to form a five-member committee from our side. I request the Leader of the Opposition to provide five names so that the 10-member committee can sit together and discuss the issues.”

He further assured the Parliament that the government will seriously consider any recommendations made by the body and will take effective steps to implement them if found feasible.

The Prime Minister’s proposal came as a response to suggestions raised by the Leader of the Opposition a day earlier.

Describing the energy crisis as a global phenomenon, the Leader of the House noted that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is “always ready to hold any discussion with anyone in the interest of the country and the people of the country.”

The government has already named its five representatives: Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku, State Minister Aninda Islam Amit, and Members of Parliament ABM Ashraf Uddin Nizan (Laxmipur-4), Moinul Islam Khan (Manikganj-2), and Miah Nuruddin Ahmad Apu (Shariatpur-3).

Welcoming the initiative, Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman thanked the Prime Minister for his positive stance and confirmed that the opposition’s nominees would be submitted soon.

“We hope Parliament will become the centre for resolving national issues. This is a new beginning for this House,” he remarked, highlighting the symbolic importance of the move.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad also expressed optimism, urging the opposition to act quickly as the current session is set to go into recess by the end of the month.

He noted that such cooperation between the government and the opposition has created a sense of hope among the public for resolving national challenges effectively.

With Inputs from UNB