Advisers by title, corporate lobbyists in practice: Anu Muhammad

Economist Professor Anu Muhammad has commented that the Ministry of Energy and Power has effectively been out of Bangladesh's control for a long time. He claimed the sector is being run under the influence of multinational corporations.

He stated that representatives of the same parties sit on both sides of the table when it comes to various contracts. These agreements are executed through large domestic and foreign companies and individuals associated with them. As a result, the country's vast resources are being drained, and Bangladesh is becoming increasingly dependent.

He made these remarks at a roundtable discussion titled 'Energy Sector Reform and CAB's 13-Point Demand' held at the CIRDAP auditorium in the capital on Tuesday morning, March 31. The event was organised by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB).

The former Jahangirnagar University teacher further said that during the interim government, lobbying activities to sign contracts with foreign companies have intensified. He alleged that several advisers and special assistants, while holding nominal positions, have effectively worked as corporate lobbyists.

He further stated that the country's energy crisis is the result of policy mistakes. Due to import-dependent and loan-dependent policies, the country has become reliant on foreign companies and international institutions. In this context, he mentioned the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and JICA.

According to Anu Muhammad, the import-dependent structure of the power sector is part of a larger master plan formulated through JICA. He said the then government prioritised the interests of foreign companies over national interests.

In his discussion, he also identified 'VIP culture' as another contributing factor to the crisis. He said the crisis is being exacerbated by the excessive consumption of the VIP class, making it necessary to move away from this culture.

Others who spoke at the roundtable included Member of Parliament Ashraf Uddin Bakul, former adviser Farida Akhter, former general secretary of CPB Ruhin Hossain Prince, general secretary of Revolutionary Workers Party Saiful Haque, and labour rights activist Taslima Akhter, among others. At the beginning of the discussion, CAB presented a 13-point demand to establish good governance in the energy sector and ensure energy justice.