Govt focused on damage control in power sector, no new plans now: Adviser Rizwana
She highlighted that the full extent of the damage would become clearer once the government begins repaying debts of the nuclear power plant
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, today (13 December) said that the government is currently focused on damage control in the power sector, with no new plans in the pipeline.
During the closing ceremony of the three-day Bangladesh Energy Prosperity 2050 Conference, organised by the BIAM Foundation in Dhaka, she highlighted that the full extent of the damage would become clearer once the government begins repaying debts of the nuclear power plant.
These financial obligations explain why new plans cannot be pursued at the moment, she added, noting that damage control depends not only on time but also on the government's finances.
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Everyone knows the setbacks the Bangladesh government faced with the Niko agreement. Given these factors, we need to consider a clear roadmap for our future
At the ceremony, 368 representatives from various fields, including academics, researchers, policymakers, and journalists, presented 34 demands to the government in a declaration. Hasan Mehedi, secretary general of the Bangladesh Working Group on External Debt, read out the declaration.
The demands in the declaration include adopting a national fossil fuels non-proliferation plan to gradually phase out fossil fuels and banning new fossil fuel power plants to prevent fossil fuel lock-in.
It also calls for the formation of independent advisory committees to assess Environmental and Social Impact Assessments and annual renewal of Environmental Clearance, as well as the creation of a benefit-sharing mechanism for communities that provide land and resources for power generation.
Other demands include establishing a dedicated One-Stop Center for renewable energy projects to streamline the approval process and reducing import duties and registration fees for electric vehicles by at least 50% and for hybrid vehicles by 30% compared to conventional vehicles.
Rizwana acknowledged the challenges in resolving these issues, saying, "An easy solution to these issues is not possible. While we all know what the solution is, it must go through a legal process, and that process alone cannot resolve it."
Recalling the Niko deal, she said, "Everyone knows the setbacks the Bangladesh government faced with the Niko agreement. Given these factors, we need to consider a clear roadmap for our future."
During the ceremony, experts in the electricity and energy sectors proposed a "No Electricity, No Pay" policy for power plants, which they believe could significantly reduce the country's financial burden.
Prof Ijaz Hossain of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology questioned why the current interim government has not set a net-zero target yet.
He criticised the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, saying, "The ministry has not declared Bangladesh's net-zero target, which is why the use of renewable energy is not increasing in the country."
Rizwana responded that for a country like Bangladesh, there is no real difference between announcing or not announcing a zero-net carbon emissions target.
In her closing remarks, she added, "Even meeting the commitments in our Nationally Determined Contributions is very challenging," but expressed hope that, with the support of other ministries, Bangladesh would be able to set an achievable net-zero target.
At the ceremony, Zahidul Alam, vice president of the Bangladesh Solar and Renewable Energy Association, warned that Bangladesh will not meet its goal of 30% renewable electricity by 2030 unless import duties on renewable energy materials are reduced.
Meanwhile, TIB's Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman called for the cancellation of the Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan and the creation of a new plan focusing on reducing fossil fuel use and increasing renewable energy in the power mix.
He also stressed the need for transparency and accountability in the electricity and energy sectors, which he claimed were lacking under the previous Awami League government.
