3-day conference on green energy to begin Saturday in Dhaka

A three-day national dialogue on the importance of renewable energy and the country’s energy future is set to begin at the Bangladesh Military Museum, Bijoy Sarani in the capital on Saturday.

The launch of the “3rd Bangladesh Energy Conference 2025” was announced at a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity, Segunbagicha on Thursday.

Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED) and 16 other organisations, will host the conference from 6 to 8 December, bringing together policymakers, researchers, investors, development partners, youth activists and civil society representatives.

At the presser, the organisers highlighted the urgent need for a just and equitable energy transition amid rising economic pressures and increasing fossil fuel dependency.

Concerns over rising fossil dependency

Speakers at the press briefing expressed alarm over recent energy-sector decisions, noting that despite government commitments to move away from fossil fuels, 2,220 MW of new power generation capacity was approved in FY2024–25, worsening the problem of idle capacity.

As a result, capacity payments to private power producers rose to Tk 32,500 crore, while LNG imports increased by 13%, costing Tk 40,759 crore in foreign currency—posing what experts called “serious economic risks”.

They also voiced strong objections to the proposed 1,200 MW coal-fired power plant in Matarbari, arguing it contradicts Bangladesh’s pledge to avoid new coal projects and would have damaging impacts on the environment, local communities, and the national economy.

Renewable energy progress remains slow

Despite the Renewable Energy Policy 2008 setting a target of 10% renewables by 2025, Bangladesh currently generates only 5.1% from renewable sources.

Speakers stressed that the country has the potential to shift to 100% renewable energy by 2050, but achieving this would require the meaningful inclusion of women, youth, indigenous groups, workers and low-income communities in the decision-making process.

Conference to continue national dialogue

The conference will be inaugurated by Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Interim Government.

The keynote speech will be delivered by Benozir Ahmed, Policy Adviser at CLEAN.

Other speakers include representatives from Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), ActionAid Bangladesh, CRESL, Waterkeepers Bangladesh and Safety and Rights.

The organisers urged journalists, government bodies, investors and all relevant stakeholders to join the event and contribute to shaping a sustainable and just energy future for Bangladesh.

They expressed optimism that the insights and recommendations emerging from this year’s discussions will help steer the country’s energy policy towards long-term resilience, affordability and climate responsibility.