Poet and political analyst Farhad Mazhar has called for a new energy policy centered on people's rights, emphasizing that access to electricity should be treated as a fundamental entitlement for citizens.
Speaking at a seminar titled “Energy Transition in Which Way?” held at the Rural Electrification Board (REB) auditorium on Monday, Mazhar urged a shift away from neoliberal policies.
Addressing an audience that included policymakers and energy experts, Mazhar criticized the previous Awami League government, describing it as "fascist" and accusing it of promoting a neoliberal economic model that prioritized corporate interests, fostering “looting” the society.
He argued that this approach has placed undue emphasis on privatization, leaving the public sector weakened and people’s lives frustrated. “We must break away from neoliberalism, where private sector interests dominate. This neoliberal model has led to widespread frustration,” Mazhar said.
Mazhar also called for heightened accountability in the bureaucracy, which he labeled as "corrupt" and heavily influenced by neoliberal policies that exploit state resources. “We have the capacity to develop our own technologies to address our unique problems,” he argued, urging an end to the exploitation of the bureaucratic system.
In his remarks, Mazhar referred to the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) for favouring neoliberal economics, which he claimed overlooks environmental sustainability. “We cannot create a national energy policy without considering environmental impacts,” he said, stressing that renewable energy should be at the core of any future policy.
Mazhar emphasized the importance of a people-centered approach to energy policy. “If you say anything without the people—be it BNP, Awami League, or Jatiya Party—it will not succeed,” he asserted, urging REB authorities to invest in human resource development.
Additional Secretary of the Power Division, Fayez Ahmed, echoed the need for a people-oriented approach, noting that the government's primary objective is to deliver affordable, reliable, and high-quality power. Collaboration across generation, transmission, and distribution is essential to meet this goal, he said, highlighting customer satisfaction as a key metric in the power sector’s progress.
Prof. M Shamsul Alam, Advisor to the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, also voiced concerns about the sector’s priorities, warning that without a solid philosophical foundation, the energy transition will falter. He criticized the past 15 years of governance, suggesting that power and energy officials were encouraged to prioritize profit over service. Officials focused on profit, leading to a disconnect between reported profits and actual organizational losses, he noted, adding that the previous government’s policies have pushed the country toward dependency on imports, undermining self-sufficiency.
The seminar, presided over by REB Chairman Major General S M Zia-Ul-Azim, highlighted the need for a strategic rethinking of Bangladesh’s energy policy to prioritize sustainability, people’s needs, and accountability across all levels of governance.