Bangladesh's first-ever national festival dedicated to renewable energy concluded on Thursday with strong commitments from experts and stakeholders to build a greener and more resilient energy future through innovation, collaboration, and policy reform.
The two-day Renewable Energy Fest 2025, held on the Buet campus from April 23–24, showcased a wide range of clean energy innovations, hosted policy dialogues, and engaged the youth in advancing sustainable energy solutions. The event was jointly organized by ActionAid Bangladesh, Buet, and the Just Energy Transition Network Bangladesh (JETnet-BD).
Bangladesh’s energy sector currently remains largely dependent on fossil fuels, with renewable energy contributing only 2.94% to the total energy mix.
Against this backdrop, building an environmentally sustainable and resilient energy system by harnessing the potential of renewables is both urgent and essential.
Bangladesh possesses immense capacity to generate solar and wind energy using its own natural resources. Realizing this potential will require a collaborative approach, robust policies, and active youth engagement.
Energy and environment experts called for this action during the Renewable Energy Fest 2025.
The closing ceremony was moderated by Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, with Mohammad Wahid Hossain, chairman (senior secretary) of BIPRC, attending as chief guest.
Special guests included Dr Abdul Hasib Chowdhury, pro-vice chancellor of Buet; Taif Hossain, program manager for Transport and Energy at the EU Delegation to Bangladesh; and Ibrahim Khalil Al-Zayad, chairperson of AAIBS.
The welcome address was delivered by Professor Dr MAA Shoukat Choudhury from Buet’s Department of Chemical Engineering.
The chief guest, Mohammad Wahid Hossain, NDC, emphasized the need for collective action in the transition to sustainable energy.
He said: “We must turn to renewable energy out of our own need—not due to external pressure. Over the past 15 years, our focus has remained confined to mega projects, with no significant progress in renewable energy development.”
He added: “Historically, we bear minimal responsibility for global warming, yet we must now move forward with a planned shift towards sustainable renewable energy.”
Taif Hossain of the EU Delegation said: “To make our energy sector more efficient, green energy must be prioritized. The EU has allocated €1.3 billion for Bangladesh in the energy sector.”
He added: “However, due to a lack of sustainable infrastructure in the energy sector, this allocation has not been fully realized. A consistent and well-structured energy policy framework is essential to unlock this potential.”
Dr Abdul Hasib Chowdhury, pro-VC of Buet, said: “Our energy policies are not inclusive. It is time to draw a comprehensive master plan for sustainable energy transformation, adopting a bottom-up approach that incorporates the needs of marginalized communities.”
Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, said: “We must consider renewable energy not as an alternative, but as an absolute necessity.”
Ibrahim Khalil Al-Zayad, chair of AAIBS added: “We must focus on women-friendly and locally-driven renewable energy solutions. The enthusiastic participation of youth in this festival signals a hopeful shift towards a sustainable energy future.”
He added: “However, unless renewable energy is effectively commercialized, it will remain at 3% of our energy ecosystem—we will not move forward.”
A special segment titled "Power-Pitch" was also held to connect local innovators in renewable energy with potential investors, providing a platform for pitching their ideas.
The last day and award ceremony program the “Renewable Energy Winner Award” was given to the Centre for Natural Agriculture and Pran Boichitra Farm for their remarkable impact on sustainable energy.
Ezygo Start-up secured first place in the “Future Energy Technology Award” category, followed by IUB’s Green Energy Research Centre in second place and Mati Agrovoltaic Program in third.
Other notable attendees included Shahriar Ahmed Chowdhury, director of UIU’s Centre for Energy Research; ASM Marjan Nur, climate and environment adviser at the British High Commission in Dhaka; Professor Dr Ijaz Hossain, former dean of Buet’s Department of Chemical Engineering; Mohammad Jahangir Alam from City Bank PLC; and Mostafa Al Mahmud, president of BSREA.
Over a hundred representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs), national and international development agencies, local energy and environment experts, and members of the media were also present.
