Dhaka, Dec. 21 -- The numbers tell a stark story.

In the 2024-25 financial year, the Power Development Board (PDB) slid deeper into the red than ever before, its losses swelling to levels unseen since the country's modern power sector took shape.

For energy economists, the figures are not a sudden shock but the latest chapter in a long-running crisis -- one rooted in political choices, costly contracts and an enduring reluctance to confront structural flaws.

According to data released by the state-owned utility, which plans and manages Bangladesh's electricity system, the PDB's losses at the end of the last financial year exceeded Tk 170 billion, almost double the Tk 87 billion recorded in the financial year 2023-24.

The figures, deta...