It seems that the main goal of the previous government was to create opportunities for corruption in the electricity and fuel sector instead of walking on the path of sustainable development. The interim government is moving towards achieving sustainable electricity policies and procedures by stopping those methods that provide opportunities for corruption, said Muhammad Fawzul Kabir Khan, Adviser on Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.

He said this while speaking as the chief guest at the Bangladesh Energy Prosperity-2050 Conference at the BIAM Foundation in Dhaka on Wednesday (December 11). The three-day conference that he inaugurated will continue till Friday.

He said, we have restructured the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) to fix electricity tariffs. At the same time, we are working on revising the Integrated Power and Fuel Master Plan and reviewing the renewable energy policy. Along with this, we are also moving away from Independent Power Plants (IPPs) and are walking on the path of implementing more sustainable electricity policies.

The inaugural session was chaired by Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Interim Government on Environment, Forests and Climate Change. She said that Bangladesh is facing serious obstacles in achieving energy prosperity due to the pressure of many power contracts and the ongoing crisis. In addition to the increasing gap in quality, affordability and transparency, equal access to energy remains a key issue.

To meet the 40 renewable energy targets by 2041, clear policies are needed, strong participation of the private sector and transformation in all areas from energy production to conservation ensuring reliable power for industrial enterprises.

She said that while it is easy to talk about canceling contracts in the power sector, it is very expensive to get out of it. Canceling contracts is not that easy. We had to go to the international level to cancel the NICO contract. Still, the Interim Government has taken up the challenge. Now the contracts are under review, she said.

In the inaugural session Professor Dr. M. Tamim of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Rahim Afroz Renewable Energy Limited (RREL) Managing Director Munawar Misbah Moin, Deepal Chandra Barua, Dr. Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Sainan Houghton, Shahriar Ahmed Chowdhury, Lidy Nakpil, Abul Kalam Azad expressed solidarity.

Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology and Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md. Nahid Islam said that the existing political parties in the country are trying to prove the interim government a failure.

He said, there is an expectation among the people that a new political party will be formed after the mass uprising and if this party is successful, the current political parties will face a challenge. Political parties want reforms to be under them, so they are trying to prove the interim government a failure. They are giving more priority to elections instead of reforms.

On Wednesday (December 11), a delegation from the British Global Partners Governance (GPG) came to the Secretariat to meet with Adviser Nahid Islam. At that time, former Chilean Minister of Social Development Jorge Jackson asked about reforms and elections, Nahid Islam said these things.

Adviser Md. Nahid Islam said that the main challenge of the interim government is to advance reform activities based on the law and order situation, economic problems, compromise with political parties and establish global communication.

He said, the interim government took charge in Bangladesh through a coup. This is a novel phenomenon that has never happened before. I do not know if this has happened in any other country in the world. We are trying to work in such a situation.

When Foreign Commonwealth and Development Officer Matt Charter asked about the issues on which the interim government seeks their help, the adviser said, your experience and advice on the post-coup democratic process and the genocide trial are very important to us.

The adviser said, various kinds of propaganda are being spread internationally. Many people are not able to explain the mass uprising properly. People do not understand how such a great dictator fell in such a short time. As a result, various conspiracies are taking place inside and outside the country. Propaganda is also being spread about the persecution of minorities. Many are trying to deny that this movement is a democratic coup.

Nahid Islam said that Bangladesh has been facing a human rights crisis for a long time, people could not vote, thousands of people have been disappeared. The people of the country were in a suffocating situation. Therefore, protecting human rights is one of the main goals of the interim government.

The GPG delegation assured the interim government of all kinds of support.

2,111 freedom fighters under the age of 12 years and 6 months will be dropped from the list, said Farooq-e-Azam, adviser to the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.

He made this statement at a press conference in Dhaka on Wednesday (December 11) to prepare for the Martyred Intellectuals' Day and Great Victory Day programs.

He said that the age of freedom fighters has been set by the ministry at 12 years and 6 months. There are 2,111 people younger than this. They will be dropped from the list.

Farooq-e-Azam said that there are many complaints. Many have been listed without being freedom fighters and have taken all the facilities and benefits. This is a betrayal of the nation. After the court's decision, arrangements will be made to punish them. They should be punished. There are various lists here. It will take some time. We will try so that the dignity of real freedom fighters is not tarnished. However, to give them a chance, indemnity can be given. If they leave voluntarily, they can get general amnesty. Otherwise, they will be charged.’

The adviser on liberation war affairs said that the total number of freedom fighters receiving allowances from the ministry is 196,454. Of these, 464 are female warriors. There are 5,895 war-wounded freedom fighters, 5,333 martyred freedom fighters and 368 titled freedom fighters. In total, the total number of freedom fighters receiving allowances is 28,050.

He further said that the total number of those appointed under the freedom fighter quota in government jobs is 89,235. And the number of martyred intellectuals is 560.

In response to a question about the list of Razakars, Faruk-e-Azam said, “I do not have the list of Razakars. I have not received any file. The ministry does not have this document either. Even if I want to make a list, it cannot be made. It is not possible to make a list of freedom fighters like it is now. It is a very difficult task. It's very difficult to figure out who is where in the world today, even though it happened 50 years ago.

Three BNP organizations are holding a long march towards Agartala to protest against Indian aggression and the attack on the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, India. Security has been beefed up at Akhaura Land Port in Brahmanbaria surrounding this long march.

The presence of police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members was noticeable in the Akhaura Land Port area of Brahmanbaria since Wednesday (December 11) morning. However, passenger crossing through Akhaura Land Port was normal.

A tour of the Akhaura Immigration area showed that a security cordon had been arranged in several layers around the long march of the three BNP organizations towards Agartala, India. Visiting the immigration area, BGB members were seen performing their duties. During this time, passport-holding passengers were crossing normally.

Police said that additional police have been on duty since last night in view of the long march of three BNP branches and their affiliates towards Agartala, India. 150 police personnel are on duty to avoid any untoward situation.

Lieutenant Colonel AM Jaber Bin Jabbar of 60 BGB said that a large number of BGB members have been on duty at the Akhaura land port and immigration area since morning.