RAJSHAHI, March 24, 2025 (BSS)- Experts at a meeting here today unanimously mentioned that searching for alternative energies can be crucial means of reducing the gradually mounting pressure on fossil fuel.

Side by side with the financial burden on the economy, fossil fuel has detrimental impacts on the environment, but renewable energies have no bad impact on the economy and the environment.
 
So, the institutions and research entities concerned should come forward and work together to promote the sector after the best use of the existing resources and potentialities.

Experts and academics made the observation while addressing the divisional meeting on 'Alternative Energy Plan' at a city hotel. 

Bangladesh Working Group on External Debt (BWGED), Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) and Paribartan Rajshahi jointly organized the meeting discussing and devising ways and means on how to promote renewable energies.

During their keynote presentations, Campaign Coordinator Sadia Rawshan Adhora and Coordinator Mahbub Alam Prince from CLEAN gave an overview of the country's energy sector and aspects of promoting renewable energies.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohinul Islam, Deputy General Manager of Rural Electrification Board Saptarshi Paul, Executive Engineer of Northern Electricity Supply Company Mahbubul Haque and Prof ANK Noman from the Department of Economics at Rajshahi University (RU) addressed the meeting as resource persons.

Prof Abdul Alim from the Department of Law and Prof Atikur Rahman from the Department of Economics at RU, local unit general secretary of Consumers Association of Bangladesh Golam Mostofa and development activist Shahidul Islam also spoke. 

Paribartan Director Rashe Ibne Obayed moderated the discussion.
The speakers viewed there is enormous scope of reducing the gradually increasing pressure on fossil fuel through boosting use of renewable energies in both rural and urban areas.

Time has come to protect the natural resources, including the wetlands and water bodies for restoring the green atmosphere.

Mahbub Alam Prince mentioned that instead of depending on only the fossil fuel emphasis should be given to enriching the renewable energy sources to face the energy challenges.

He attributed that availability of energy from different sources is vital for the present life in meeting the challenge of the ever-increasing demand for energy.

Prof ANK Noman mentioned substantial and sustainable use of solar power like renewable energy can be the effective means of protecting life and environment.

Time has come to transform the existing power supply-dependent irrigation system into solar power to lessen the gradually mounting pressure on electricity in the vast Barind tract.