Civil groups are urging a faster shift to solar, wind and other renewables, highlighting energy security, investment and the risks of continued reliance on imports.
A month-long campaign to promote renewable energy and reduce Bangladesh’s dependence on imported energy was launched in Dhaka on Saturday, with organisers calling for a rapid expansion of solar, wind and other clean power sources.
The “Renewables Now” campaign, led by Dhoritri Rokhhay Amra (DHORA) and Waterkeepers Bangladesh and jointly organised by 37 civil and social organisations, was inaugurated at the CIRDAP International Conference Centre in the capital.
The campaign will include awareness programmes across the country, cycling and boat rallies, road processions, a coastal walk, cultural performances and a national dialogue. The coastal walk was formally launched at Saturday’s event, with campaign banner handed over by Chief Guest Jalal Ahmed to Mashfiqul Hasan Tony, executive director of Bengal Peace Foundation, which will implement the walk.
Ahmed, chairman of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), said the biggest obstacle to renewable energy was not technology but resistance to change.
“Our conventional perception of a power plant still brings a thermal power plant to mind; this mindset must change. Large-scale solar power generation is possible by utilizing existing land, such as in Matarbari. What is needed now is to break the barriers to change and move rapidly towards solar power,” he said.
The event was chaired by M S Siddiqui, co-convenor of DHORA.
Siddiqui said renewable energy was no longer only an environmental issue but was also linked to Bangladesh’s energy security, economic self-reliance and sovereignty.
“We must move away from the risks of an import-dependent energy system and generate our own energy,” he said, adding that expanding solar, wind, biomass and other renewable sources could create opportunities for investment, employment and local economies.
Sharif Jamil, member secretary of DHORA and coordinator of Waterkeepers Bangladesh, said Bangladesh’s energy security faced a major challenge because of its dependence on imports.
“There is no alternative to a rapid and planned transition to renewable energy to overcome this reality,” he said.
Jamil said achieving Bangladesh’s target of generating 10,000 megawatts of renewable electricity by 2030 would require a clear roadmap, effective action and strong political commitment.
Mostafa Al Mahmud, president of the Bangladesh Sustainable and Renewable Energy Association (BSREA), said the import-dependent energy system was putting energy security at risk.
He said establishing a new floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) alone would not solve the problem and would require nearly Tk 20,000 crore in additional investment for pipelines and necessary infrastructure.
“Therefore, instead of becoming more dependent on LNG imports, we must rapidly expand renewable energy capacity within the next three to four years,” he said.
Shafiqul Alam, Bangladesh lead energy analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), also called for rapid expansion of renewable energy capacity over the next three to four years, alongside accessible financing, investment-friendly policies and efficient use of energy.
Golam Iftekhar Mahmud, editor and publisher of Dhaka Stream, said the renewable energy transition should be accompanied by environmental accountability and pollution control.
“Without proper management, used batteries and solar panels could become major sources of pollution,” he said, stressing the need for responsible waste management and wider environmental protection.
Professor Dr Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumder, dean of the Faculty of Science and professor in the Department of Environmental Science at Stamford University Bangladesh and founder and director of the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), said fossil fuels were heating the atmosphere while increasing air pollution.
He said increased air pollution also led to greater dust accumulation on solar panels, reducing their efficiency. Greater use of renewable energy, he said, would reduce pollution and could consequently improve solar panel efficiency and renewable electricity generation.
Zakia Shishir, coordinator of Haoroncholbashi, said public awareness was needed to accelerate renewable energy expansion. She also said investment in relevant sectors required a legal framework and that fossil fuel use should be stopped.
The discussion focused on expanding renewable energy, raising public awareness and taking steps to increase public engagement to achieve the 2030 target.
The 37 organisations jointly organising the campaign are DHORA, Waterkeepers Bangladesh, CAPS, Youth Action for Social Development (YASD), APOS Youth Organization, Brighters, Youth Environment and Development Organization (YEDO), OAB Foundation, River Bangla, Bengal Peace Foundation, Torongo Foundation, Climate Frontier, Dream Research and Development Foundation (DRDF), Bangladesh Krishok Federation, Riverine People, Environmental Research and Development Alternatives (ERDA), Sundarbans and Coastal Protection Movement, Socheton Nagorik Somaj Songoton, COAST Foundation, Center for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD), CRESL, Earth’s Ants, Kasmas Organisation, BARCIK, Haoroncholbashi, Shopner Shiri Social Welfare Organization, Mission Green Bangladesh, EquityBD, Socheton Foundation, Sompriti O Souhardya, Gorjon Samaj Kollyan Sangstha, BSREA, River Social Development Bangladesh, Greenway Renewable Energy Implementation Organization, univo, YouCan and Green Peace Youth Development Society.
