Cancel draft energy-power master plan

Civil society organisations have strongly objected to the interim government's 25-year Energy and Power Sector Master Plan (EPSMP 2025).

At a press conference held in the Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium on Sunday, they demanded the immediate suspension and complete cancellation of the draft Energy and Power Master Plan (2026-2050).

They argued the plan was formulated without democratic process, transparency, or public participation, and warned it posed serious risks to the country's energy security, economy, and environment.

The press conference was organised by the Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED).

The co-organisers included the Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN); Amrai Agami; Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA); the Centre for Environment and Participatory Research (CEPR); Ethical Trading Initiative Bangladesh (ETI Bangladesh); Jet-Net BD; Lawyers for Energy, Environment and Development (LEED); Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF); Re-Global; Sohard Youth Foundation; Safety and Rights (SRS); Waterkeepers; and the worker-led Climate Action Network (Worker CAN).

Delivering the keynote, CLEAN's Network Adviser Monowar Mostafa said the interim government's responsibility was to ensure routine state administration.

Instead, it had overstepped its mandate by initiating a long-term, multi-dimensional, and high-risk energy plan, he said.

He alleged that despite directives from the High Court, no meaningful participatory consultation process was followed.

Mostafa further noted that similar to the controversial projects previously approved under the Speedy Supply of Power and Energy (Special Provisions) Act, EPSMP 2025 created a framework to legitimise future fossil fuel-dependent schemes.

He argued the country's actual electricity demand should not exceed 40,000MW, yet the plan had inflated the figure unjustifiably.

This, he warned, would lead to unnecessary generation capacity and impose additional financial burdens on citizens through capacity charges.

He added although the plan referred to "energy transition," the share of genuine renewable energy was only 17 per cent in reality and 44 per cent on paper.

The plan proposed increasing gas-based power generation capacity from 15.8GW to 25.2GW, while maintaining nearly 50 per cent dependence on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), coal, and oil until 2050, he said.

This would create an import burden of around $192 billion, posing grave risks to the economy, foreign currency reserves, and energy security, he added.

BWGED Member Secretary Hasan Mehedi said the draft plan completely ignored the public, civil society, and independent experts.

He criticised attempts to finalise such a critical national policy document without public hearings or open consultations, calling it a repetition of the opaque policymaking of the previous governments.

LEED's Research Director Shimonuzzaman described the move to introduce another controversial master plan, similar to IEPMP 2023, just before the elections as deeply disappointing.

ETI Bangladesh's Director (Programme Evidence and Learning) Munir Uddin Shamim said the plan violated citizens' constitutional rights and, if implemented, would put the export sector at serious risk.

Other speakers included Jet-Net BD Manager Abul Kalam Azad, MJF Coordinator Wasiur Rahman Tanmoy, and Waterkeepers Manager Syed Tapas.

The press conference put forward five demands - immediate suspension and cancellation of EPSMP 2025, initiation of a transparent national consultation process with civil society and public participation, rapid reduction in fossil fuel dependence, formulation of a realistic roadmap for 100 per cent renewable energy, and adoption of a new inclusive energy and power master plan under the newly elected government.

Azizjst@yahoo.com