BUET opens national energy and power research laboratory
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) inaugurated the Bangladesh Energy and Power Research Laboratory today (4 October), aiming to strengthen research and develop practical solutions to the country's energy challenges.
Funded by the Bangladesh Energy and Power Research Council, the laboratory will provide a national platform for research, collaboration, and innovation in the energy and power sector, according to the press release.
The inauguration took place at BUET's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Mohammad Shariful Islam chaired the ceremony, while Bangladesh Energy and Power Research Council Chairman and Senior Secretary Mohammad Wahid Hossain attended as the chief guest.
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Professor Dr Abdul Hasib Chowdhury of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department, a former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of BUET, attended as the special guest.
Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Dean Dr Md Kamrul Hasan, faculty members, researchers and officials from the university and the research council were also present.
Delivering the welcome remarks, Event Moderator Dr Muhammad Anisuzzaman Talukder said efforts to establish the laboratory had been underway since 2021. Despite institutional changes, he said BUET and the council had remained committed to the initiative.
Anisuzzaman outlined a vision to develop a globally competitive facility where researchers from BUET and other institutions in Bangladesh and abroad could collaborate on energy and power challenges.
Kamrul highlighted the national importance of a dedicated laboratory and called for research tailored to Bangladesh's needs in power generation, energy storage, transmission and distribution.
He also emphasised greater sharing of research facilities, instruments and data.
Abdul Hasib said the laboratory should extend beyond conventional academic research and help address the country's wider energy challenges.
He said Bangladesh's relatively low per-capita energy consumption reflected the level of development across industry, agriculture, transport and other economic sectors. Improving energy efficiency in these areas was essential amid growing global energy and fuel challenges, he added.
Shariful described the inauguration as historic, saying the facility was BUET's first national-level research laboratory.
He reaffirmed the university administration's support and hoped the laboratory would draw on the country's skilled researchers to develop practical solutions and promote efficient energy use.
Wahid stressed the importance of collaboration between the research council and BUET in addressing national problems.
He said research should go beyond publishing in reputable journals and produce solutions that tangibly benefit the country. He acknowledged the efforts of teams from both institutions over the past five years to establish the laboratory.
Wahid also expressed hope that the facility would help strengthen an industry-funded research culture by bringing together academia, industry and government.
He said the laboratory was intended to serve energy and power researchers nationwide and could expand to accommodate growing research needs. Describing its establishment as a watershed moment for the sector, he expressed optimism about continued collaboration between the council and BUET.
In his concluding remarks, Laboratory Director and Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Professor Dr Sharif Mohammad Mominuzzaman thanked those involved in establishing the facility.
He said the laboratory aimed to bridge the gap between research and patents by supporting the development of useful technologies and intellectual property.
Mominuzzaman also highlighted the need to strengthen Bangladesh's energy infrastructure and research capacity to support continued economic growth.
The university said the laboratory would bring together researchers, government and industry to address emerging challenges through collaborative, application-oriented research and contribute to sustainable energy solutions.
