Dhaka:The three-day Renewable Energy Fest 2026 commenced today at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), drawing policymakers, researchers, investors, businesses, and civil society representatives together to forge an actionable agenda for a sustainable energy transition.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the festival, held for the second time at the BUET Central Playground, aims to create a platform that links policy, markets, and communities, focusing on investment, innovation, and partnerships in renewable energy. The event is jointly organized by ActionAid Bangladesh, BUET, Just Energy Transition Network Bangladesh (JETnet-BD), and BUET's Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD) under the theme 'A Just, Inclusive and Green Energy Transition'.
Participants include youth groups, women's organizations, labor communities, and climate action networks. A rally of over 200 participants from Shaheed Minar to the BUET Central Playground aimed to raise awareness about renewable energy. The rally was followed by a flash mob performed by 30 artists from the Surjodoy Youth Society.
ActionAid Bangladesh Country Director Farah Kabir emphasized the necessity of moving away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy. She stressed the importance of planning and taking concrete actions with budgetary commitments focusing on farmers, women, and marginalized communities. Professor Dr. M A A Shoukat Choudhury of BUET highlighted the need to build renewable energy capacity for future energy security.
Md. Abul Kalam Azad from JETnet-BD expressed hopes that the festival would generate an equity-based policy and investment agenda. Nazmul Hasan of Hithium Energy Storage Technology BD Ltd underscored the need for stronger oversight of solar energy components.
The festival includes an Innovation Fair and Technology Fair, showcasing domestic renewable energy innovations. The Innovation-to-Impact Marketplace will provide startups an opportunity to present business models to investors, with seed funding for promising ideas. Oxfam Bangladesh will host a dialogue on industrial decarbonization.
The festival's formal inauguration is scheduled for tomorrow by Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku, MP. The event will feature discussions on energy policy, governance, financing, and innovation. Experts from South and Southeast Asia will share insights on energy transition.
Notable speakers on the final day include Shafiqul Alam from IEEFA, Md. Mujibur Rahman from SREDA, and M. Zakir Hossain Khan of Change Initiative, among others. Innovators and young leaders contributing to renewable energy will be recognized.
Co-organizers include the Bangladesh Energy and Power Research Council (BEPRC), Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), and several other prominent organizations.