Environment and Climate Change Adviser Sayda Rizwana Hasan has said that the cancellation of any contract in power sector is not that much easy what many feel.
"To cancel the contract with Niko Resources, we have to go for international arbitration, it was a factor related with huge time and money, the nature of the contracts is like that."
She said the present government is continuing the legacies of previous government, we are paying huge money as interest of the loan which was taken unnecessarily. We are bound to continuing it as it is a legal issue, Rizwana added.
"Many issues were raised here, land, water, evacuation, uneven contacts and junk renewable projects...however, there is no way to return the land to the owners that was acquired for implementing power projects," the adviser said.
Taking part in the discussion, Energy adviser Dr Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said on Wednesday that the primary goal of the former government in the power and energy sector seemed to be enabling corruption rather than achieving sustainable development.
However, the current interim government is eliminating those practices that foster corruption and moving towards achieving a sustainable power policy and practice.
"We have restored the Energy Regulatory Commission's (BERC) power to fix electricity tariffs. We are also revising the Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP) and reevaluating the renewable energy policy", said Fouzul Kabir Khan.
"We are also moving away from independent power producers (IPPs) and implementing a more sustainable power policy," he added.
The adviser was addressing as the chief guest at the Bangladesh Energy Prosperity 2050 conference on Wednesday at the BIAM Foundation. He inaugurated the 3-days long conference which will be wrapped up on Friday.
Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan chaired the inaugural session. She said, "Bangladesh faces significant challenges in achieving energy prosperity, compounded by unequal power deals and ongoing crisis. Energy accessibility remains a pressing issue, with persistent gaps in quality, affordability, and transparency".
"Meeting the 40 per cent renewable energy target by 2041 requires clear policies, strong private-sector engagement, and a shift from energy production to conservation. Ensuring reliable power for industries, adopting subsidised renewable energy for energy-intensive sectors, and repurposing power plant land for solar or other renewable projects could accelerate the transition", she added.
The Bangladesh Energy Prosperity 2050 conference is uniting over 300 national and international representatives, including policymakers, energy experts, development partners, private sector investors and financiers, civil society organisations and youth for an impactful three-day event. Building on the success of its first 2023 edition, this year's conference features 23 co-organizers dedicated to advancing the shift towards renewable energy, powering prosperity through a collaborative approach to sustainable development.
The inaugural session also featured Special Guests, including Dr Mohammad Tamim, Professor, Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Engineering, BUET, and Munawar Misbah Moin, Managing Director, Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Limited (RREL). Additionally, Dipal Chandra Barua, Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Cynan Houghtan, Shahriar A Chowdhury, Lidy Nacpil, Abul Kalam Azad delivered their solidarity messages.
