BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said his party will repeal the power sector indemnity provision if voted to power, claiming it was used to shield large-scale corruption and mismanagement under the previous government.

Speaking at the CAB Youth Parliament 2025 organised by Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) at Dhaka University on Saturday, Rizvi alleged that “hundreds of thousands of crores of taka were plundered” from the energy sector during what he described as a “fascist regime.”

“The indemnity law made corruption legal in the power sector. Using this law, vast sums of public money were looted and siphoned abroad,” he said. “Through rental and quick rental power projects, the previous government institutionalised looting in the name of development. BNP will abolish this indemnity once it assumes office.”

Rizvi criticised the impact of the provision on energy sector investment, noting that confidence among investors had sharply declined. He urged greater focus on renewable energy, saying Bangladesh could no longer rely solely on conventional power sources.

“The former government never prioritised energy for the people. The interim government seems to have good intentions about renewable energy, but we have yet to see meaningful action,” he remarked.

Highlighting BNP’s environmental commitments, Rizvi said renewable energy and sustainability are integral parts of the party’s 31-point reform plan. “Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has repeatedly emphasised the need to expand renewable energy. BNP has pledged to plant 250 million trees across the country and restore 20,000 kilometres of canals, wetlands, and dead rivers,” he said.

Rizvi also stressed the need to diversify renewable energy sources beyond solar and wind power. “Currently, only 4.71 percent of Bangladesh’s electricity comes from renewable sources. If we can produce biofuel like Brazil—from sugarcane husks and agricultural byproducts—we can transform the sector,” he suggested.

Identifying investment bottlenecks as a major obstacle, Rizvi pointed to bureaucratic delays and policy inconsistencies that discourage foreign investors. “Cutting red tape and ensuring transparency are vital if we want the renewable energy sector to move forward,” he said.