Energy investments in non-renewable sources destroying lives: Speakers to G-20 leaders
Energy solutions that require imported fuels has no benefit for the long term development of Bangladesh, investment in renewable energy is the answer.
Investment in gas, coal or oil based fuels should be reduced, while focus should be shifted toward renewable energy sources, speakers at a rally in Mongla urged G20 leaders.
"Divest your investments from fossil fuels. Your investments are ruining our lives. Abandon policies of impoverishment, increase capacity," said speakers at a rally organised by Mongla Nagarik Samaj, Clean Khulna and Bangladesh Working Group on External Debt (BWGED) at the Rampal power station jetty on Thursday (9 September) ahead of the G20 Summit to be held from 9 to 11 September.
"82% of the total power generation is based on gas, coal and diesel and most of it is import dependent. Most of the countries from which this gas has to be imported are G-20 member countries. So our demand to them is to invest in renewable energy which is convenient for us instead of investing in gas coal oil based energy. Don't push us further into poverty. Don't push our country into a dollar crisis anymore," added the speakers.
The meeting was presided over by Md Noor Alam Sheikh, central joint secretary of Bangladesh Environment Andolan (Bapa) and convenor of Mongla Nagarik Samaj.
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"In the last 15 years, electricity prices have increased 13 times. Among them, it increased three times in the first three months of this year. On the other hand, power plants are getting rent despite not producing any electricity. In the last 14 and a half years, 104,927 crores have been spent on the rent of private power plants," said Md Noor.
"We do not want this dependency on the energy sector. The capacity charge of power plants is now the bottleneck of the country's economy. Therefore, the government should move away from an import-dependent energy policy and implement the renewable energy policy as per the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan," he added.
Among others, Abdur Rashid Howladar, women leader Kamala Sarkar, environmental activists Rakesh Sana, Martin Sarkar, Fatema Jannat, Sushmita Mondal, Tanvi Mondal, Mehedi Hasan Babu and others spoke at the rally.
