DHAKA, Aug 2, 2026 (BSS) – Prime Minister’s Adviser on the Ministries of Finance and Planning Prof. Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir today stressed the need a nationwide social movement for renewable energy, expanding local manufacturing of solar technologies and pursuing a balanced energy mix to accelerate Bangladesh’s clean energy transition and strengthen long-term energy security.

Addressing a seminar titled “Distributed Renewable Energy: The Future Solar Solution for Bangladesh” at the Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF) auditorium in the capital, he said Bangladesh must move beyond policy commitments alone and build broad-based public participation to make renewable energy a people’s movement.

“The first task is to create demand through a social movement. Once citizens articulate that demand, the market will naturally respond with supply,” he said, adding that collective action is essential to building a livable planet for future generations by protecting nature, biodiversity and the environment.

Titumir said Bangladesh has a long history of successful public movements – from the mass literacy campaign and canal excavation programmes to the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) – demonstrating that citizen participation can drive national transformation.

He called on civil society organisations, NGOs and microfinance institutions to spearhead a nationwide campaign for renewable energy adoption, describing access to clean energy as a right that should be available to every household.

The adviser said renewable energy could significantly reduce household expenditure, increase savings and create new opportunities for investment, thereby helping break the cycle of inherited poverty.

Referring to the country’s growing dependence on imported fuel, he said Bangladesh should promote household-level renewable energy solutions, including solar-powered cooking systems, to reduce pressure on gas supplies and cut imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

“The transition to renewable energy is not merely an environmental necessity; it is also an economic strategy that can strengthen household resilience and national self-reliance,” he observed.

Highlighting his second priority, Titumir underscored the importance of developing a strong domestic manufacturing base for renewable energy technologies.

He said Bangladesh should locally produce photovoltaic (PV) panels, batteries, inverters and other components required for solar power systems instead of relying heavily on imports.

“Local manufacturing will strengthen supply chains, create jobs, promote technological innovation and make renewable energy more affordable for consumers,” he said.

The adviser noted that Bangladesh, as South Asia’s second-largest economy and one of the world’s largest consumer markets by population, possesses the scale needed to support a competitive renewable energy manufacturing industry.

Citing Pakistan’s rapid expansion of distributed solar systems, Titumir said Bangladesh has the potential to move even faster if government initiatives are matched by strong public participation and private-sector investment.

Turning to his third priority, the adviser said Bangladesh must adopt a balanced energy mix to ensure energy security while gradually increasing the contribution of renewable sources.

“We are not saying conventional energy will disappear overnight. Rather, Bangladesh needs a diversified energy mix in which renewable energy assumes a progressively larger share,” he said.

He said greater reliance on renewable energy would reduce import dependence, enhance energy security and help the country cope with global uncertainties arising from geopolitical conflicts, supply chain disruptions and climate-related challenges.

“Uncertainty has become the new global normal. Bangladesh must move from a culture of dependence to a culture of self-reliance,” he said.

Titumir said the government has already undertaken a paradigm shift in its renewable energy policy by introducing fiscal incentives, including tax and duty benefits, to encourage investment in solar energy technologies.

The adviser urged microfinance institutions to incorporate renewable energy financing into their regular lending programmes, saying affordable financing would accelerate the adoption of distributed renewable energy technologies, particularly in rural areas.

He said Bangladesh Bank’s refinancing schemes and other financing mechanisms could play an important role in expanding renewable energy access, while the government remained ready to introduce additional policy support whenever necessary.

Titumir called on NGOs to include renewable energy coverage among their institutional targets, saying coordinated efforts at the grassroots level could rapidly expand access to clean energy across the country.

The programme was jointly organised by the Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF) and the Distributed Renewable Energy Platform (DREP).

ERF President Doulot Akter Mala chaired the event, while DREP Coordinator Dr. Khondaker Golam Moazzem moderated the programme.

During the event, speakers from the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Bangladesh Sustainable and Renewable Energy Association (BSREA), CLEAN, SOLshare and ActionAid Bangladesh discussed policy reforms, innovative financing, energy storage, public awareness and technological advancement needed to accelerate distributed renewable energy in Bangladesh.

CPD also launched its “Renewables in Bangladesh” website to serve as an information and knowledge platform for the country’s renewable energy sector.