Rangpur: Environmental activists from an awareness raising campaign have demanded to reform energy policies for a sustainable renewable future aiming at achieving Bangladesh’s renewable energy goals. The campaign was arranged as a transformative initiative to remove existing barriers to renewable energy for environmental protection at Parker Mour area of Rangpur metropolis on Saturday afternoon.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the non-governmental development organizations-Development of Poor Society (DOPS), Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN), and Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED) organized the campaign. Executive Director of DOPS Ujjal Chakraborty, its Coordinator Subal Chandra, Director of Ecology and Development Forum Hasan Mehedi, women activist Anwara Begum, and university students Atik Shahriar and Mizanur Rahman, among others, spoke at the event.
The speakers discussed the challenges that hinder the large-scale acceptance of clean energy and put emphasis on policy reforms to accelerate the sustainable energy transition amidst climate change. While Bangladesh faces an urgent need to move towards renewable energy, they said that obstacles such as slow approval processes, limited financing, outdated infrastructure, and inadequate policy frameworks are hindering progress.
The existing tariff structure also hinders investment in renewable energy, making many projects financially unviable. Effective and practical measures should be taken to make renewable energy more accessible and affordable. They demanded the creation of a central platform to speed up the approval process for renewable energy projects which will reduce administrative complexity and ensure speedy implementation.
They emphasized the integration of smart grids and net energy metering (NEM) technology, so that renewable sources such as solar and wind power can be easily integrated into the national grid. They suggested creating a conducive environment for attracting local and international investment in renewable energy, so that financing for the development of clean energy projects is facilitated.
Ujjal, director of DOPS Rangpur, said the campaign aims to raise public awareness, engage policymakers, and build strong support for the reforms needed for a green, sustainable future. “This initiative is not only to ensure a clean energy future, but also to build a strong and stable economy while fighting climate change,” he added.
Director of Ecology and Development Forum Hasan Mehedi said Rangpur region and other rural areas of Bangladesh are facing major challenges in the energy sector due to climate change. “This campaign will ensure that renewable energy solutions can play an effective role for Rangpur and other regions of the country and help to build climate and energy resilient communities,” he said.