Activists in Chattogram protest Bangladesh’s indemnity energy law, demanding the cancellation of contracts, trials for alleged corruption, transparency, and relief from soaring power and gas prices amid rising subsidy pressure nationwide today.
Dozens of activists and consumer rights campaigners formed a human chain in front of the Chattogram (second-largest city in Bangladesh) Press Club on Saturday (December 20), demanding the immediate cancellation of all contracts signed under Bangladesh’s controversial Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply Special Provisions Act and the prosecution of those they accuse of looting the energy sector.
The demonstration was organized by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, Chattogram and Youth CAB Chattogram. Protesters denounced the 2010 law as an indemnity measure that shields alleged corruption by bypassing competitive tendering in power and energy projects.
Speakers at the rally alleged that over the past 15 years, billions of taka have been wasted through non-competitive agreements, overpriced liquefied natural gas imports and capacity payments made to private power plants even when no electricity is generated.
They called for the establishment of an Energy Price Stabilization Fund using compensation recovered from those accused of exploiting the sector. The protesters also demanded public disclosure of those responsible, formal trials and a shift toward transparent and accountable energy policies.
CAB Central Vice President SM Nazer Hossain, who presided over the event, accused what he described as a powerful syndicate of using the indemnity law to siphon billions of taka in public money through capacity charges, much of which he claimed was transferred abroad.
“Electricity generation capacity has quadrupled, but costs have risen 11-fold,” Hossain said, blaming rental power plants and opaque contracts for surging prices that he said are crippling industries and placing an excessive burden on ordinary consumers.
He also criticized proposed subsidies for the 2024–25 fiscal year, saying public funds were being diverted to benefit a small group of oligarchs. The government has proposed Tk 40,000 crore in electricity subsidies and Tk 7,000 crore for gas in the upcoming budget.
Other speakers included columnist Musa Khan as well as CAB leaders Ajay Mitra Shanku and Shahadat Hossain, along with youth activists. They echoed calls for reforming power purchase agreements and urged the formation of an independent commission free of conflicts of interest to review existing energy projects.
The Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply Special Provisions Act was enacted in 2010 to fast-track energy supply during acute shortages. It has long faced criticism for allowing projects without tenders and granting legal immunity, which critics say has enabled favouritism and inefficiency.
Although the interim government has begun reviewing projects approved under the law and has suspended new ones in recent years, protesters said those steps were insufficient. They insisted that full repeal of the act and accountability for past decisions are long overdue.
As Bangladesh continues to struggle with high energy prices and mounting subsidy pressures, Saturday’s demonstration highlighted growing public frustration over governance in the power and energy sector.
