Bangladesh’s new BNP government promises renewable expansion, afforestation, green jobs, and climate resilience, but experts warn that financing gaps, governance weaknesses, and unrealistic targets could undermine delivery.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has won a strong majority in the 13th national parliamentary elections. It has officially formed the new government, marking a significant shift in the country’s political and policy landscape. Party chief Tarique Rahman now leads the administration following the 2024 removal of the Awami League and the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Analysts say the new government has an opportunity to address Bangladesh’s growing energy demand, environmental challenges and climate risks, but successful implementation will require transparency, planning and sustained governance.
BNP’s manifesto outlines an ambitious agenda spanning renewable energy, fossil fuel management, afforestation, waste management, climate adaptation and green employment. In its election manifesto, the party pledged to plant at least 250 million trees across Bangladesh over the next five years. It also promised to launch a centralized Measurement, Reporting and Verification system to reduce carbon emissions from the energy, agriculture and waste sectors, ensure that at least 20 percent of electricity comes from renewable sources by 2030 and green newly formed islands in rivers, canals, chars or alluvial islands and the Meghna estuary.
The manifesto emphasizes halting deforestation, preventing encroachment on forests and chars, stopping hill cutting and curbing industrialization within wildlife habitats and sanctuaries. BNP proposes promoting green building mechanisms, generating revenue from carbon credits, improving waste management and expanding plastic recycling. At the same time, the party plans to expand domestic oil and gas production through offshore exploration while reviewing rental power plants, gas tariffs and LNG import strategies. Strengthening regional energy connectivity through cross border electricity and pipeline cooperation is another stated priority.
Environmental and social initiatives are a major focus of the BNP plan. The party aims to create approximately 350,000 green jobs, with an additional 250,000 jobs in the nursery sector. GIS technology is expected to identify suitable tree planting sites, while a Tree Monitoring App would track the growth and health of new trees. Waste management reforms include developing a circular waste economy, expanding e-waste recycling, formalizing informal waste workers, reducing plastic waste by 30 percent over five years and implementing waste to energy projects.
Climate adaptation and agricultural resilience are also highlighted. BNP intends to implement measures aligned with the 1997 Water Convention, complete major infrastructure projects such as the Teesta Mega Project and Padma Barrage and construct elevated roads, shelters and early warning systems in flood prone areas. Water saving irrigation technologies are to be introduced in rice fields by 2035, while development of the blue economy is projected to create one million jobs. Protecting farmland fertility and expanding mangrove forests are emphasized as strategies to strengthen natural climate resilience.
Despite these ambitious pledges, experts note that BNP’s manifesto leaves several critical gaps. The document provides no clear financing mechanism for climate adaptation or loss and damage, nor a phase out strategy to reduce fossil fuel dependence. Environmental and social risk assessments for large dams and mega projects remain unclear, and provisions for the rights of nature, climate finance governance and transparent citizen monitoring mechanisms are absent, according to analysts.
Md Shamsuddoha, a climate change policy expert and CEO of the Center for Participatory Research and Development, says political parties that presented election manifestos lack a proper understanding of climate change issues. “The manifestos largely miss some crucial issues like climate justice for Bangladesh as a regular recipient of loans for climate change adaptation and mitigation,” he notes. Shamsuddoha adds that governance challenges, including failures to protect existing forest lands and mismanagement or embezzlement of climate funds, have also been overlooked. He cautions that targets such as ensuring 20 percent electricity from renewables by 2030 or planting 250 million trees are unrealistic and describes them as populist promises that previous governments have failed to deliver.
Monirul H. Khan, a professor at Jahangirnagar University and a renowned zoologist, stresses that biodiversity conservation should be the main focus, which has not been adequately addressed in the manifestos. While he sees the inclusion of environmental and climate issues in party pledges as positive, he emphasizes that implementation under the new government will be crucial. He also points out that the manifestos largely ignore environmental policy reforms achieved by the interim government. “There is a common tendency that a newly elected government cancels policies taken by the previous government. However, continuation of the reformed environmental laws during the interim government will ultimately benefit the country’s biodiversity and environment,” Khan says. The interim government, formed on August 8, 2024, issued the Forest and Tree Conservation Ordinance 2025, the Wildlife Conservation and Security Ordinance 2025, the Sound Pollution Control Rules 2025 and other regulations to strengthen environmental governance.
Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global, highlights the importance of a just and inclusive industrial transition alongside environmental and energy policies. “As Bangladesh expands renewable energy, afforestation and waste to energy projects, it is critical that the transition creates fair opportunities for workers and communities rather than leaving vulnerable populations behind,” he says. “A just industrial transition must integrate social equity, green jobs and community participation into every stage of implementation.”
Experts note that while BNP’s proposals are ambitious and signal a shift toward a greener economy, their execution will require substantial investment, technological capacity, regulatory reform and regional cooperation. Integration of environmental safeguards, gender inclusive policies and citizen oversight mechanisms will be essential to ensure that promises translate into tangible outcomes. With BNP now in power, environmental and climate issues have become central political commitments. How effectively these pledges are implemented in practice will shape Bangladesh’s energy future, its green economy and its contribution to global climate goals.
