A discussion on Bangladesh’s current power and energy crisis, the adverse impacts of fossil fuels on the environment, ecosystems and livelihoods, and the challenges and prospects of renewable energy was held in Khulna on Thursday.
The event, titled “Energy Talk 5: Current Power and Energy Crisis in Bangladesh: Way Forward”, was jointly organised by the Bangladesh Ecology and Development Working Group (BWGED), Environmental Protection Forum and Waterkeepers Bangladesh, under the leadership of the environmental and climate advocacy organisation Dhôritri Rokkhae Amra (Dhara).
The discussion was held at the Banquet Hall of the Khulna Press Club.
The event was moderated by Md Nur Alam Sheikh and chaired by Advocate Qudrat-e-Khuda. The chief guest was Nazrul Islam Manju, administrator of Khulna City Corporation (KCC). Special guests included Md Tariqul Islam, general secretary of the Khulna Press Club, and development economics analyst Monwar Mostafa.
In his speech, Mr Manju said the use of solar power at an industrial facility had resulted in monthly savings of around Tk1.5 million.
“The global energy crisis has shown that imported fossil fuels are not a sustainable solution,” he said, calling for the rapid expansion of solar energy.
He said government incentives and policy support were needed to develop the solar sector, while harmful industries and coal-fired power plants should be controlled to protect the Sundarbans.
Sharif Jamil, member secretary of Dhara, spoke on “Bangladesh’s energy sector: dependence on fossil fuels and the crisis of import dependence”.
He said excessive reliance on an import-dependent energy system was one of the main causes of Bangladesh’s current energy crisis.
“If renewable energy, including solar power, had been given proper priority in energy planning since 2010, we would not have faced the current predicament,” he said.
Energy production and consumption should not be viewed solely in terms of immediate needs, he said, as they have long-term consequences for the environment, economy and people’s lives.
“Overcoming the crisis requires proper planning, expansion of renewable energy and a sincere effort to understand and address our own energy challenges,” Mr Jamil said.
Professor Abdullah Harun Chowdhury of the Environmental Science Discipline at Khulna University discussed “The adverse impacts of fossil fuels: the growing crisis for the environment, ecosystems and livelihoods”.
He said heavy metals such as lead and cadmium found in coal posed health risks, particularly to children’s brain and nervous-system development, while concerns were growing over their possible links to autism and other developmental problems.
He also highlighted the effects of rising temperatures and humidity on people’s ability to work and on biodiversity, and called for greater use of solar power and alternative energy sources at household level.
Hasan Mehedi, founder and chief executive of the Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) and member secretary of BWGED, spoke on “Expansion of renewable energy in Bangladesh: prospects and challenges”.
He said Bangladesh had an installed power generation capacity of 29,593MW, but peak utilisation had reached only 17,201MW, leaving around 12,000MW of capacity unused.
Against the backdrop of annual subsidies of around Tk400 billion in the power sector, Mr Mehedi stressed the need to harness Bangladesh’s own solar and wind resources instead of relying on imported LNG and coal.
He called for a clear roadmap and budget for 2030–2050 to enable the country to move towards 100% renewable energy.
Special guest Monwar Mostafa said the import-dependent energy system was placing additional pressure on the economy. He called for a reduction in dependence on imported fossil fuels and greater priority to solar power and other renewable energy sources.
Following the opening session, the event featured three separate sessions focusing on the current state of Bangladesh’s energy sector, the impact of dependence on fossil fuels and imported energy, and the challenges and prospects of expanding renewable energy in the country.
The sessions included thematic discussions and question-and-answer segments. The event concluded with a quiz competition and the distribution of certificates.
Speakers at the event stressed the need to reduce Bangladesh’s reliance on fossil fuels and take concrete steps to expand renewable energy in order to put the country’s energy sector on a more sustainable, environmentally friendly and equitable path.