Six months after Bangladesh was born anew, the country is emerging from the ashes facing the rising sun of Japan enforcing dependence on outdated fossil fuels dressed up as foreign aid. 

Bangladeshis are living in hope. The country’s interim government is led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who was awarded a Nobel Prize for his microfinance work alleviating poverty, after student protests spearheaded the ousting of the 17-year-long Sheikh Hasina government. Following the turmoil, Japan has reinforced its commitment to “Bangladesh 2.0.”

Japan has been the biggest bilateral aid provider and ally to Bangladesh’s nation-building for 50 years and claims a relationship “based on mutual trust, respect, friendship, and cooperation.” No wonder Japan was entrusted with formulating Bangladesh’s energy plans — first in 2010 and every iteration since, including the 2023 Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan. This plan, however, pushed Bangladesh to invest in outdated coal power plants and imported gas facilities, and rely on unproven technologies such as carbon capture and storage.

The winners from this energy plan are not the people of Bangladesh but Japan’s energy giants like JERA, Sumitomo Corporation, and Mitsubishi Corporation, which have dedicated fossil fuel businesses that are worsening global warming.

Millions of Bangladeshi people have been at the frontline of the climate crisis, losing their homes and livelihoods to more frequent extreme........

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