Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), has demanded for investigating the expenditures in power and energy sectors from 2010 to 2024.
CAB adviser Prof. M Shamsul Alam placed the demand at a seminar titled “Energy Transition in Which Way?” held at the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) auditorium on Monday.
Speaking at the seminar, Prof. Alam highlighted the public’s growing concerns over opaque expenditure in energy and electricity, urging the government to quantify actual costs and predatory expenses related to imports, exploration, production, transmission, and distribution from 2010 to 2024.
He also demanded for reforms within Bangladesh’s power and energy sectors.
Professor Engineer Shamsul Alam, the association’s energy adviser, outlined key key demands to stop corruption, punish the delinquent officials, and efficiently supply power and energy at affordable price.
He emphasized that CAB’s recommendations align with public expectations for greater transparency and efficient, cost-conscious management. The key proposals included:
Reformation of the Power Sector as a Public Service:
CAB called for transforming the energy sector management into a “cost-plus” model, prioritizing sustainable, cost-based development instead of profit-driven approaches.
Setting Energy Prices Based on Public Hearings:
CAB insists that all energy rates, including petroleum products, be set by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) following public hearings. The association also demands the immediate gazetting of three regulations on petroleum product pricing, withheld since 2012.
Transparent Appointments in BERC and Related Bodies:
CAB recommends amending the BERC Act to establish a regulation-based process for appointing BERC’s chairman, members, and senior officials in government companies, ensuring impartial governance.
Development of Renewable Energy Through Small-Scale Projects:
CAB encourages a bottom-up approach to solar and wind energy projects, aimed at fostering local industry, creating employment, and supporting entrepreneurship, particularly through small-scale initiatives rather than mega-projects.
Prosecution of Energy Offenders:
CAB calls for prosecuting violators under the Consumer Rights Protection Act of 2009 and BERC Act of 2003, emphasizing the need for accountability in the energy sector.
Referencing recent events in Canada, Prof. Alam noted that the Canadian government faced backlash for poor contract management and corruption linked to the ArriveCAN app, which led to contract cancellations and the suspension of senior officials.
CAB highlighted this case as a cautionary example, underlining the importance of stringent checks on government spending and effective accountability measures to prevent misuse of public funds in Bangladesh’s power sector.
Attended at the seminar as chief guest poet and political analyst Farhad Mazhar has called for a new energy policy centered on people’s rights, emphasizing that access to electricity should be treated as a fundamental entitlement for citizens.
He argued that this approach has placed undue emphasis on privatization, leaving the public sector weakened and people’s lives frustrated. “We must break away from neoliberalism, where private sector interests dominate. This neoliberal model has led to widespread frustration,” Mazhar said.
BREB Chairman Major General S M Zia-Ul-Azim presided over the seminar.
