Nov 19, 2025
| Staff Reporter
A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has issued a 12-point Citizens’ Manifesto calling for a fair and sustainable energy transition in the lead-up to the 2026 national elections. The document urges political parties to commit to phasing out fossil fuel reliance, strengthening national energy sovereignty, and safeguarding vulnerable communities.
The manifesto was launched on 18 November at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity by the Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED), with support from BELA, BILS, CLEAN, ETI Bangladesh, LEED, Manusher Jonno Foundation, and ReGlobal.
Speakers at the event warned of the mounting economic and environmental costs of Bangladesh’s fossil-fuel-heavy energy system. BWGED Member Secretary Hasan Mehedi highlighted the financial burden, noting that private power producers collected BDT 1.72 trillion in capacity charges over 16 years, while PDB incurred losses of BDT 2.53 trillion, forcing the government to inject BDT 2.36 trillion in subsidies—public funds that he said enriched fossil fuel–aligned vested groups.
CLEAN’s network adviser Monower Mostafa pointed to the climate impacts, stating that national carbon emissions have doubled—from 146.8 million tonnes in 2008 to 281.4 million tonnes—alongside worsening air quality that now ranks among the world’s most hazardous. Representatives including Wasiur Rahman Tonmoy of MJF and Shimonuzzaman of LEED stressed the need for an energy transition that centres people and communities.
The manifesto proposes sweeping reforms: drafting a new National Energy Policy with mandatory public consultations, enforcing transparency and anti-corruption mechanisms in the power sector, and gradually removing fossil fuel subsidies. It also calls for an immediate halt to new fossil fuel power plants and a shift toward renewables, with targets of 30 percent clean energy by 2030 and full decarbonisation by 2050.
Additional measures include overhauling the national grid, promoting green transport, and expanding the “Surjo Bari” solar home programme to create 2 million green jobs. The CSOs also reject what they describe as “false climate solutions,” such as nuclear expansion and waste-to-energy projects, advocating instead for circular economy approaches. The manifesto further emphasises protecting the rights of women, indigenous peoples, and marginalised communities, and encourages agrivoltaics to boost renewable energy while preserving agricultural land.
News Link: CSOs urges fossil-fuel exit, push for energy sovereignty