· Bangladesh CSOs Unveil Bold 12-Point Energy Manifesto Ahead of 2026 Elections
· CSOs Call for Clean, Affordable, and Community-Owned Energy
· Political Parties Urged to Commit to Environment, Social Justice, and Economic Prosperity
Dhaka, Nov 16, 2025 (PR) - As Bangladesh moves toward the pivotal 2026 National Parliamentary Elections, a coalition of prominent civil society organizations has released a 12-point Citizens’ Manifesto, urging all political parties to adopt bold, future-focused commitments to dismantle fossil fuel dependence, enhance national energy sovereignty, and safeguard vulnerable communities through a just, equitable, and climate-resilient energy transition.
Organized by Bangladesh’s foremost CSOs’ network Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED) along with Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS), Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN), Ethical Trading Initiative Bangladesh (ETI), Lawyers for Energy, Environment, and Development (LEED), Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), ReGlobal, and allied partners championing transparency, ecological integrity, human rights, and sustainable development, the manifesto underscores that Bangladesh’s energy and power sector stands at a historic crossroads. Despite attaining 99.25% electricity coverage, decades of imprudent fossil fuel dependence, opaque contractual regimes, and impractical masterplans have precipitated severe financial hemorrhaging, intensified environmental degradation, and heightened public health risks.
Monower Mostafa, Network Adviser, CLEAN recite the keynote paper and emphasized, “Simultaneously, national carbon emissions have doubled, rising from 146.8 million tonnes in 2008 to 281.4 million tonnes, while Bangladesh’s air quality has deteriorated to among the world’s most hazardous placing the nation near the bottom of global environmental performance indicators.”
As panelists Hasan Mehedi, Member Secretary, BWGED emphasized, “In the past 16 years, private power producers extracted BDT 1.72 trillion in capacity charges, while the Power Development Board recorded cumulative losses of BDT 2.53 trillion, compelling the government to inject BDT 2.36 trillion in subsidies public resources disproportionately siphoned off into the coffers of fossil fuel–linked vested interests.”
Besides, panelist Mr. Wasiur Tonmoy, Coordinator (CDU) at Manusher Jonno Foundation, Mr. Shimonuzzaman, Director Research, LEED, collectively underscored the critical need for a just and people-centered energy transition in Bangladesh.
12 Citizens’ Manifesto on Bangladesh’s Energy and Power Sector
1. Formulation of a New National Energy Policy: Bangladesh must urgently formulate a comprehensive National Energy Policy that ensures climate resilience, economic stability, and long-term energy security. All sectoral policies, masterplans, laws, and regulations related to energy, power, and climate must be reviewed and drafted in alignment with this new policy. Mandatory public consultations with civil society and energy experts must precede all policy decisions.
2. Transparency and Anti-Corruption in the Power Sector: To prevent corruption, all Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and Implementation Agreements (IAs) must be fully disclosed under the Right to Information Act. Public Procurement Act and Rules should be strengthened to eliminate preferential contracts. Citizen monitoring must be institutionalized, and all individuals or institutions involved in corruption must be brought under justice, with stolen funds recovered and returned to the power sector.
3. Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Subsidies: Subsidies for coal, gas, and fuel oil must be gradually phased out to encourage industries, businesses, and households to shift rapidly to cost-effective renewable energy. At least 30% renewable energy use by industries by 2030 and 40% by 2041 must be made mandatory, supported by low-interest loans and tax incentives.
4. No New Fossil Fuel Power Plants: No new coal, gas, or oil-based power plants should be approved. Old and inefficient fossil-based plants must be retired and replaced with renewable energy facilities. Workers employed in these plants must receive guaranteed alternative livelihood opportunities. Capacity charges for underperforming plants must be abolished.
5. Ending LNG Dependence and Gas Waste: No new LNG terminals should be approved. Gas supply to agriculture and industries must be rationalized by closing old gas-based plants and encouraging electrification of industrial heating. Strict measures must be enforced to eliminate gas leakage and illegal connections, and universal metering must be introduced across sectors.
6. A Clear National Renewable Energy Roadmap: Bangladesh must integrate the targets of 30% renewable energy by 2030, 40% by 2041, and 100% by 2050 into all national and sectoral plans. At least 40% of the national power sector budget must be allocated to renewable energy. VAT and import duties on solar panels, inverters, and related equipment must be fully lifted.
7. Green Transport Transformation: To green the transport sector, the second-largest source of pollution—import duties and taxes on electric vehicles must be at least 75% lower than those on fossil-fuel vehicles. Import duties on advanced batteries (e.g., LFP batteries) must be reduced to zero to accelerate the transition.
8. Smart Grid Modernization & Solar Home Program: Bangladesh must modernize its national grid and transition to a smart grid through short- and mid-term investment plans. Under the “Surjo Bari (Solar Home)” Program, households, farms, and irrigation solar systems up to 3 kW must receive at least 25% capital subsidy and up to 70% low-interest loans, with an additional 10% subsidy for women, indigenous communities, farmers, fishers, workers, and the poor.
9. Renewable Energy Skill Development & Jobs: Relevant government departments must create 2 million new green jobs by providing short-term renewable energy training and easy loan access for unemployed youth especially women, indigenous people, marginalized groups, and workers to enter the renewable energy market.
10. Rejecting False Climate Solutions: Bangladesh must withdraw from all “advanced technology” proposals such as ammonia co-firing, liquid hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS), nuclear expansion, and waste-to-energy (WTE) all of which are expensive, unproven, and increase energy dependency. Instead, a circular green economy must be promoted through waste reduction, segregation, recycling, and compost production.
11. Just Energy Transition with Community Rights: All energy and power sector policies and masterplans must explicitly safeguard the rights of women, indigenous peoples, farmers, fishers, workers, and marginalized groups. Local communities must receive a share of the profit from energy infrastructure and be included in the management of energy facilities.
12. Protecting Agricultural Land & Promoting Agrivoltaics: Land acquisition for energy projects must be strictly prohibited to protect agricultural livelihoods. Instead, a long-term land leasing system must be introduced to ensure annual, increasing rental benefits for affected farmers. Special incentives must be provided for agrivoltaics and floating solar projects to ensure multi-use land solutions.
The coalition emphasizes that Bangladesh can no longer afford fossil fuel–driven policy inertia, donor-enforced “false solutions” or governance structures susceptible to corruption. A just, inclusive, and renewable-centered energy pathway is not only environmentally imperative but also economically rational and foundational to national resilience. The coalition highlighted, “Energy transition is not merely a technical undertaking, it is a profound question of justice, sovereignty, and the future we choose for the next generation. Political leaders must demonstrate visionary leadership by enshrining clean, affordable, and community-owned energy systems at the core of their 2026 election commitments.”
