To demanded cancellation of Integrated Power and Energy Master Plan a civic-youth assembly held at Shahid Abdur Razzak Park at 11am on Saturday (June 24) morning in Satkhira.
The program was organized by non-governmental development organization SoDESH-Satkhira, Coastal Livelihood and Environment Working Group (CLEAN) and Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development under the supervision of SoDESH Executive Director Madhav Chandra Dutta and chaired by educationist Professor Abdul Hamid.
Satkhira District Nagorik Committee of Member Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, District JSD President Sheikh Obaidus Sultan Bablu, Rivers, Canals, Environment and Reservoir Protection Committee of President Mofizur Rahman, Bangladesh Jasad Satkhira District Committee of General Secretary Professor Idris Ali, Development Worker Advocate Muniruddin, CPF of Director journalist Faruk Rahman, District anti-corruption committee of Member Sakibur Rahman Babla and others spoke in the assembly.
Speakers said, Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is preparing the Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP) for Bangladesh.
Therefore, renewable energy utilization plans should be implemented at all levels. Energy and Power Sector Master Plan (PSMP) was formulated in 2010 and 2016 in collaboration with JICA. Import-dependent coal and liquefied natural gas were given special importance in this master plan.
The speakers strongly demanded that IEPMP's power plan should be completely stopped and energy and power sector should be planned for the next 100 years in the light of Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan (MCPP).
The speakers also said, there is an extreme lack of transparency and accountability in the IEPMP formulation process. Neither JICA nor the Government of Bangladesh has formulated the program and budget for this project. JICA is doing this by secretly hiring Japanese consulting firms under Japanese technical assistance, which is a clear violation of transparency and accountability.
Therefore, the anti-interest draft IEMP prepared by the Japanese organization IEEJ funded by JICA should be canceled immediately. In the light of the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan, an integrated energy and power sector master plan should be formulated and implemented with the country's policy makers and experts, with priority given to wind and solar power by the year 2050, in order to implement 100% renewable energy by 2050. "Renewable energy will be the power plan of the future" and strongly demanded the government to formulate an energy policy.
The speakers requested Bangladesh's long-time development partner Japan, to cooperate in implementing Bangladesh's own development plans without imposing their companies and technologies. Demanded the government to implement solar power systems and renewable energy programs in all educational institutions, union councils, religious and social institutions.
SIDO's Executive Director Shyamal Kumar Biswas, Head Organization of Executive Director Lewis Rana Gain, Arjan Foundation of Executive Director Mahua Manjuri, Sundarban Foundation of Executive Director Sheikh Afzal Hossen, Landless Leaders Abdus Sattar, Kawsar Ali, Youth Representative Mrityunjoy Roy, Mahfuza Akhter Mukta, Roksana Parvin Payel, Sumaiya Islam Tisha, Tamanna Bushra, Sumaiya Akhter Iti, Mukta Parvin Puthul etc.
