Dhaka, April 19 -- The government has an outstanding bill to power plants worth Tk 523 billion, and the state must settle these dues to public, private, and international suppliers, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku told parliament.

The minister provided the detailed breakdown of the debt during a question-and-answer session on Sunday, while also addressing allegations of fuel shortages and hoarding across the country.

In response to a query from BNP lawmaker SM Jahangir Hossain, he noted that as of Apr 9, the total amount the government needs to pay for public and private power plants, including imports, stands over Tk 523 billion.

The outstanding debt includes Tk 116.34 billion owed to Petrobangla...