Staff Correspondnet

Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Wednesday urged all to play a role in protecting the environment by using electricity produced from renewable sources like sun, wind and flowing water, which don’t emit carbon.

He made the call while inaugurating the 24th National Renewable Energy Conference at Senate Bhaban of University of Dhaka (DU) in the capital.

The DU’s Institute of Energy and GreenTech Foundation Bangladesh jointly organised the two-day conference.

Dr Mahmud, also an environmentalist and a part-time teacher at DU, said though Bangladesh is not a high carbon emitting country, it is one of the worst victims of climate change caused mostly by the industrialised countries.

The minister said there is no ethical obligation for Bangladesh to reduce carbon emissions. “But our country is moving towards achieving 40% green energy share in total energy consumption by 2041 in line with the plan of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, one of the pioneers in the world in fighting climate change,” he said.

Dr Mahmud said there is no alternative to keeping the environment green and alive to protect this planet. That’s why it requires a conscious role from all, he added.

DU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr ASM Maksud Kamal presided over the inaugural session of the conference, while Principal Coordinator for SDGs Affairs at the Prime Minister’s Office Md Akhter Hossain, Executive Director of Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) Md Alamgir Morshed and President of Bangladesh Solar Renewable Energy Association Engineer Md Nurul Akter and Chairperson of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) Munira Sultana also spoke on the occasion.

Associate Professor at the Institute of Energy Dr Nasif Shams delivered the welcome speech, while Advisor of GreenTech Foundation Khondkar Morshed Millat and its Executive Director Lutfar Rahman made the keynote speech and the vote of thanks respectively.