The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) claimed on Thursday that the government led by Dr Muhammad Yunus is mirroring the policies of the ousted Sheikh Hasina administration in the energy and power sector, which they say contradicts the aspirations of the July student-led rebellion.
"The government repealed the Special Energy and Power Development Act, citing its anti-people stance and its role in fostering corruption in the energy sector. However, it simultaneously declared that all projects initiated under the Act would remain valid-this was not the vision of the July upsurge," said CAB Energy Adviser Dr Shamsul Alam during a dialogue titled "Reforms in the Energy Sector: Perspectives of CAB-Proposed Bangladesh Energy Transformation Policy 2024."
CAB demanded that the interim government take steps to prosecute "energy criminals" for misappropriating state resources from 2009 to 2024 through questionable agreements with local and international companies.
Dr Alam called for trials under the Consumer Protection Act and the BERC Act 2003, naming former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, ex-State Minister Nasrul Hamid, ex-Adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, and former Power Secretaries Abul Kalam Azad, Monwar Islam, and Dr Ahmed Kaikaus as key figures responsible for corruption in the sector.
"The interim government must investigate and quantify the wealth misappropriated across the energy sector, including in imports, generation, transmission, and distribution, and disclose actual expenditures," Dr Alam asserted.
He emphasised the need for a people-centric energy policy, advocating for cost-based pricing that ensures access to energy as a right, not a privilege. "The government should act as a facilitator, not a profit-driven entity, ensuring energy justice for all," he added.
CAB also demanded public hearings to determine the pricing of all energy products, as stipulated in the BERC Act.
During the dialogue held at Bishwa Shahitya Kendra, CAB representatives-including General Secretary Advocate Humayun Kabir Bhuiya, Organising Secretary Prof Dr Mizanur Rahman Razu, and Abul Kalam Azad, Manager of Just Energy Transition at ActionAid, Dr Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, Professor Department of International Relations, Dhaka University-called for reforms in the BERC Act to improve governance, especially in top appointments.
Although the government has expressed interest in renewable energy, CAB criticised the lack of a clear, time-bound implementation roadmap. Dr Alam suggested engaging political parties to incorporate energy transition issues into their manifestos.
CAB announced a mass signature campaign to demand justice and reforms in the sector. "We will present the signatures, alongside a 21-point charter of demands, to the Chief Adviser to honour the sacrifices of those who gave their lives to end inequality during the July-August movement," Dr Alam concluded.
