Civil Society Organisations Urge Immediate Cancellation of Draft Energy & Power Sector Master Plan (EPSMP), demanding a just and inclusive national energy plan for 100% renewable energy.
On 18 January 2026, 13 civil society organisations, held a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity to call for the cancellation of the government’s Energy and Power Sector Master Plan 2026–2050.
Speakers said the plan was prepared without public consultation or engagement with local expertise. They stated that the process places Bangladesh on a path of long-term reliance on fossil fuel imports and moves the country away from a transition towards renewable energy.
Keynote speaker Monwar Mostafa, Network Advisor at the Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN), said the plan was developed without engagement with local experts or civil society, despite previous discussions with national advisors. He said the process relied on foreign consultants, raising concerns about the influence of external interests on energy policy.
Hasan Mehedi, Secretary of the Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED), remarked how the draft mirrors previous opaque policymaking seen during the IEPMP process. “The public, civil society, and independent experts have been ignored entirely,” he said. “This national plan is being finalised without democratic process or accountability.”
Munir Uddin Shamim, Director for Programme, Evidence and Learning at ETI Bangladesh, said the plan has implications for workers and industries as Bangladesh approaches graduation from least developed country (LDC) status. He said approval of the plan could affect export income due to due diligence requirements in the European Union (EU).
He emphasised that the RMG sector, which employs millions of workers and drives national exports, is absent from the plan’s priorities. The sector requires stable, affordable energy and a clear roadmap for decarbonisation. “The draft is neither import-aware nor RMG-focused,” he said, adding that without alignment to global climate and compliance standards, RMG factories and their workers will face new risks and competitiveness challenges.
He called on the incoming government to redesign the master plan with transparency and broad public participation, saying energy planning must protect national competitiveness, workers’ futures, and citizens’ constitutional rights.
Speakers also noted that the plan’s projected emissions contradict the country’s nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the Chief Advisor’s ‘Three Zeros’ vision. Key elements such as worker rehabilitation, gender equity, just transition, and the needs of export-driven industries were described as “almost entirely excluded.”
Speakers called for the cancellation of the draft Energy and Power Sector Master Plan 2026–2050, the launch of a national consultation process that includes citizens, local experts and civil society with participation from workers and youth, a reduction in dependence on fossil fuels with a clear pathway towards energy generation from renewable sources, and the adoption of a national energy plan that reflects social justice, environmental responsibility and the needs of workers.
They said failure to address these issues risks repeating past policy processes that place economic costs on the public, increase energy prices, expand subsidy pressure and cause environmental harm over time.
The event was organised by the Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED) with the Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network(CLEAN) , Worker-led Climate Action Network (Worker CAN) , Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, Centre for Environment and Participatory Research, Jet-Net BD, Lawyers for Energy, Environment and Development, Manusher Jonno Foundation, Re-Global, Souhardo Youth Foundation, Safety and Rights, Waterkeepers and ETI Bangladesh.
