About:
Md. Atiqur Rahman Mollick, an Environment Specialist with nearly a decade of experience in renewable energy projects. Currently working with a private research
organization.
Overview:
As part of our study, we interviewed Md. Atiqur Rahman Mollick, currently working with a private research organization. At his organization, the concepts of renewable energy and decarbonization are embedded with a strong focus on energy security, reducing supply risks, and advancing corporate sustainability through ESG commitments, innovation, and new market opportunities. The organization anticipates that by 2030, 10–25% of its total energy consumption will come from renewable sources. He shared valuable insights on the role of the private sector in Bangladesh’s energy transition.
Interview:
- The private sector expects three key benefits from adopting renewable energy:
- Lower long-term energy costs and access to green financing.
- Improved energy reliability
- Enhanced technological innovation
- Three major challenges for private sector engagement in renewable energy:
- Limited access to affordable finance
- Absence of incentives or clear Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) frameworks
- Shortage of technical skills and expertise
- Sectors with the highest clean energy business potential in Bangladesh include:
- Rooftop solar for industries
- Waste-to-energy and other bioenergy solutions
- Energy-efficient machinery and industrial processes
- Battery storage and smart grids
- The current government policies are not adequately supportive of private sector participation. here is an urgent need for policy reforms, such as:
- Long-term renewable energy purchase agreements
- Public-private partnerships for grid modernization
- Stronger incentives to attract and sustain private investment
- To accelerate renewable energy adoption, he stressed the importance of:
- Technical capacity building
- Accessible and affordable financing facilities
- Stronger public-private coordination mechanisms
- International collaboration and technology transfer
- He believes the private sector could be fully prepared to scale clean energy adoption within the next five years if these conditions are met.
- The single most urgent action, according to him, is the implementation of robust policy reforms, specifically:
- Credit risk guarantee schemes
- Streamlined and transparent PPAs
- Import duty waivers on renewable energy components
- International collaboration and technology transfer
- These measures would significantly mitigate the financial and regulatory risks currently deterring private investment.
- Bangladesh’s greatest private sector opportunities in the low-carbon economy lie in:
- Scaling up solar, waste-to-energy, and green manufacturing
- Driving innovation through financing and technology partnerships
- Leveraging export-oriented industries (particularly RMG and textiles) through rooftop solar, energy efficiency, and circular economy practices to meet global buyer demands and enhance competitiveness
- The greatest risk of failing to accelerate renewable energy transition, however, is severe economic vulnerability. Continued reliance on fossil fuels would expose Bangladesh to global price volatility, deplete foreign reserves, and strain energy-intensive industries. Simultaneously, climate impacts—particularly on the country’s coastline and agriculture—would threaten long-term economic and environmental stability.