Oct 6, 2025
| Staff Reporter
The three-day Regional Infrastructure Monitoring Alliance (RIMA) Conference 2025 was inaugurated today at Hotel Lake Castle, Gulshan, Dhaka, Bangladesh, organized by Coastal Livelihoods and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN). The event brings together activists, researchers, and policymakers from across South Asia and beyond to discuss the concept of a just transition, sustainable investment, and environmental governance in the region.
The conference was formally inaugurated by H.E. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Hon'ble Adviser for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Bangladesh. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, who attended as the Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker. In her keynote address, H.E. Rizwana Hasan emphasized that “Investment should serve the people, not the powerhouses.” She underscored that the economy is not yet ready for large-scale energy investments that disregard social and ecological priorities.
Rizwana Hasan said. “Agencies like BIDA should not compromise national safeguards for the sake of quick approvals. Development must respect environmental laws, transparency, and land rights.” Rizwana added, “For urgent reforms in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, stressing the importance of transparency and the need to eliminate the concealment of vital environmental information to ensure genuine protection of nature. We want electricity, but never at the cost of destroying our environment. Bangladesh stands at a crossroads — development must prioritise people. Foreign investment is only sustainable when rooted in participation, transparency, and accountability.”
Mr Hasan Mehedi, Chief Executive of CLEAN, welcomed the conference with a powerful reflection on Bangladesh’s current socio-political transition and the broader challenges facing the region. He emphasized that “we are at a pivotal moment in history, a time of transformation that demands a decisive shift from fossil fuels to green and clean energy.” He urged sustained youth engagement, collective action, and cross-movement solidarity, stressing that the future of the region depends on bold, people-centred choices that place environmental justice and sustainable development at the heart of policy and investment decisions.
Ms Nora Sausmikat from Urgewald, Germany, and Vidya Dinker from Growthwatch, India, joined the panel, focusing on the regional dimensions of energy transition, geopolitical realignments, and civil society collaboration. Nora highlighted the importance of sustaining regional networks amid growing global tensions, while Vidya underscored the shared struggle for environmental justice in South Asia.
The conference aims to strengthen collective advocacy for transparency, accountability, and social equity in infrastructure and energy investments across the region. Over the next three days, participants will explore themes including just transition, renewable energy governance, and regional cooperation for sustainable development.
News Link: Regional Infrastructure Monitoring Alliance (RIMA) Conference 2025 Inaugurated in Dhaka