Sep 9, 2024
| Staff Reporter
Bangladesh Working group of Ecology and Development (BWGED) has placed a 16-point demand for reforms in the power and energy sector. The organization sent an open letter to the interim government's Chief Adviser H.E. Dr. Muhammad Yunus on Sunday (September 8th) with these demands. Copies of the letter were also sent to Adviser of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan, Adviser of the Ministry of Finance Dr. Saleh Uddin Ahmed, Adviser of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Advocate Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Adviser of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Asif Nazrul. BWGED said in a press release on Sunday.
The 16-point demand was made to bring good governance in the power and energy sector, remove corruption in the sector and reduce the risks of climate change by maintaining the balance of the environment. The demands include: immediate repeal of the Rapid Supply Enhancement of Electricity and Energy (Special Provisions) Act, 2010 (with amendments); Establishment of an independent Public Inquiry Commission; make the Initial Environmental Audit (IEE) and Environmental Assessment Report (EIA) open and mandatory; Bringing fossil fuel-based power plants under the 'No Electricity No Pay' policy; Scrap all fossil fuel-based power plants that have signed contracts but are not under construction; cancel the construction of approved and proposed new LNG terminals; Adopting a renewable energy master plan; Adopt a new master plan to ensure 'zero carbon'; Allocation for renewable energy increased to Tk 500 crore; granting Sustainable and Renewable Energy Authority (SREDA) the status of an independent division; Exemption of import tax and VAT on renewable energy machinery and equipment; To provide long-term bank loans up to 70 percent of the total construction cost on easy terms and low or interest-free; Reduce import duty and registration fees by at least 30 percent for hybrid vehicles and at least 50 percent for electric vehicles; Authorizing solar-based charging stations; To set up institutes for the manufacture and renewal of solar panels and to provide training to young entrepreneurs and workers.