Meeting the country's growing electricity demand while ensuring national energy security now demands the effective utilization and strengthening of indigenous and renewable resources.
Against this backdrop, the three-day 'Renewable Energy Fest 2026' is set to take place from 26 to 28 October 2026 at the Central Playground of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) in Dhaka, charting a roadmap for a sustainable, inclusive, and just energy future.
This is the second edition of the country's only and largest renewable energy festival to be held in the capital.
The festival will be inaugurated on 27 October by Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku, Minister of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.
Also in attendance will be Prof Ekramul Haq, vice-chancellor of Buet, and Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, among other distinguished guests.
Additionally, two Buet professors will deliver keynote addresses at the Energy Talks on the first and second days, and Prof Mamun Ahmed, chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), will grace the closing ceremony.
Themed 'A Just, Inclusive and Green Energy Transition', the festival will feature an Energy Justice Assembly, Innovation and Technology Fair, Investment and Business Networking, a dedicated platform for Women, Youth and Grassroots Organizations, and High-Level Policy Dialogue.
To overcome challenges and transform the expansion of renewable energy into a sustainable national movement, the festival is being jointly organized by ActionAid Bangladesh, Buet, JETnet-BD, and Buet's Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD).
The first day of the festival, 26 October, will begin with 'Power to the People: Energy Justice Assembly'.
Women, youth, workers, and marginalized communities affected by climate change will come together at this assembly to present their daily struggles, local solutions to the crisis, and demands for energy rights directly to policymakers.
Following the formal inauguration on 27 October, the main festival exhibition will commence.
It will feature the 'Innovation Fair' and 'Technology Fair', where domestic innovators and corporate entities will showcase their latest renewable energy technologies and services.
To connect innovation with mainstream investment, an 'Innovation-to-Impact Marketplace' will be held, where young entrepreneurs and startups will present their business models to investors and banks, with the most promising ventures receiving seed funding.
On 28 October, the closing day of the festival, multiple high-level parallel dialogue sessions and plenary sessions will be held with consideration for national and regional contexts.
Detailed discussions will take place on the current state of Bangladesh's energy policy, ensuring social and environmental safeguards, and promoting good governance.
At the closing ceremony, innovators, young leaders, and partner organizations that have made special contributions to the renewable energy sector will be recognized and awarded.
Speaking about the objectives of the festival, Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, said: "Meeting the national solar power generation target by 2030 requires more than technological advancement; it demands human dignity, social justice, and a sense of collective responsibility. We believe the 'Renewable Energy Fest 2026' will serve as a powerful catalyst for that coordinated effort. With the collective participation of all, Bangladesh will move steadily towards a safe, green, and self-sufficient energy future, that is the core promise of this festival."