Dhaka-Mongla roadshow promotes renewable energy, environmental protection

A roadshow from Dhaka to Mongla on Friday called for greater use of renewable energy, stronger energy security and better environmental protection, using traditional puppet shows to raise public awareness in Bhatiapara and Mongla Bazar.

The event was organised under the nationwide ‘Renewables Now’ campaign, a joint initiative of 37 organisations led by Dhoritri Rokhhay Amra (DHORA) and Waterkeepers Bangladesh.

Participants included Sharif Jamil, coordinator of Waterkeepers Bangladesh and member secretary of DHORA; Badrul Alam, president of Bangladesh Krishok Federation; Zakia Shishir, central coordinator of Haor Oncholbashi; and Mir Mohammad Ali, assistant professor at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, along with other representatives.

The puppet shows highlighted the importance of reducing dependence on fossil fuels, expanding renewable energy and protecting the environment in a way that local communities could easily understand.

Sharif Jamil said Bangladesh needed to accelerate the expansion of renewable energy through effective policies, greater investment and wider adoption of solar and other renewable sources.

He stressed the importance of transparent planning, adequate financing and public participation in national energy planning, adding that the government and citizens needed to work together to secure a sustainable energy future.

Badrul Alam said renewable energy, agroecology and food sovereignty were closely linked. “We must protect our land, empower our farmers, and put people before profit,” he said.

Mir Mohammad Ali warned that pollution and heated water discharged from fossil fuel-based power plants could affect dissolved oxygen levels in rivers, as well as fish breeding and survival. He called for expanding solar and wind energy based on environmental impact assessments to protect the Sundarbans, the Pashur River, fish habitats and coastal livelihoods.

Read More

Dhaka, Algiers seek cooperation in energy, fertiliser, agriculture

Zakia Shishir said public awareness of renewable energy needed to grow, adding that campaigns of this kind should be organised on a much larger scale.

According to the organisers, expanding renewable energy, particularly solar and wind power, could reduce pressure on Bangladesh’s import-dependent energy system while helping tackle pollution and climate change risks.

The campaign uses cultural activities and community engagement to build public support for a cleaner and more sustainable energy system. Its central message is: “Harnessing Natural Resources for Energy, Towards a Self-Reliant Bangladesh.”