A rally and vibrant flash mob sound the call for a just energy transitionWith a vision to build a sustainable, resilient, and just energy system grounded in indigenous resources, the three-day 'Renewable Energy Fest 2026' has begun in the capital for the second time. The festival is being jointly organized by ActionAid Bangladesh, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Just Energy Transition Network Bangladesh (JETnet-BD), and BUET's Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD), and is taking place at the BUET Central Playground. The announcement was made today, Monday (26 October), at a press conference held at the venue.Themed ‘A Just, Inclusive and Green Energy Transition’, the festival is bringing together thousands of representatives from youth groups, women's organizations, labor communities, civil society, and climate action networks. Prior to the press conference, a rally of more than 200 participants was held at Shaheed Minar, marching to the BUET Central Playground to raise awareness about the urgent need for renewable energy and a just energy transition. This was followed by a captivating flash mob performed by 30 artists, organized by Surjodoy Youth Society.The press conference at the BUET Central Playground was moderated by Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh. The overall framework of the festival was presented through a written statement by Md. Abul Kalam Azad, Manager of ActionAid Bangladesh's Just Energy Transition Team and Member Secretary of JETnet-BD. Also addressing the press conference were Professor Dr. M A A Shoukat Choudhury, Director of BUET's Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD); Anwar Hossain, Executive Director of The Earth Society; Nazmul Hasan, Managing Director of Hithium Energy Storage Technology BD Ltd.; and Sanjida Sultana, Additional Executive Director of Karmojibi Nari and Dhaka Divisional Coordinator of JETnet-BD.Speaking at the press conference, Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, said: "Climate change demands that the entire world move away from fossil fuels and shift focus toward innovation, discovery, and renewable energy as alternative sources of energy supply. Bangladesh now stands at a critical juncture where it is essential to think, discuss, plan, and take concrete action, with appropriate budgetary commitments, on inclusive renewable energy and just transition, with farmers, women, and marginalized communities at the center."Professor Dr. M A A Shoukat Choudhury, Director of BUET's IESD, said: "Energy is a vital component in every sphere of life, from our daily existence to civilizational development and resource valuation. While we remain dependent on fossil fuels, we must build our capacity in renewable energy to ensure our energy security for the future."In his written statement, Abul Kalam Azad, Manager of ActionAid Bangladesh's Just Energy Transition Team and Member Secretary of JETnet-BD, said: "We hope this event will give rise to an equity-based policy and investment agenda, and serve as a national and regional platform for building concrete pathways, from innovation to implementation, through investment and partnerships. We also expect it to produce a clear post-event action plan."Additionally, Nazmul Hasan, Managing Director of Hithium Energy Storage Technology BD Ltd., emphasized the need to strengthen oversight mechanisms to ensure the quality of solar energy components.The 'Renewable Energy Fest 2026' is serving as a national and regional coordination platform, bringing together policy, markets, and people under one roof. Tomorrow, Tuesday (27 October), the Innovation and Technology Fair will be formally inaugurated by Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku, MP, Minister of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. Also in attendance will be Tobias Biermann, First Counsellor and Head of Section for Green Economy and Public Sector Investments at the EU Delegation to Bangladesh; Jacob de Leon, Second Secretary (Development) at the Australian High Commission in Bangladesh; and Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, among other distinguished guests. Representatives from the European Union, Indonesia, Australia, and Pakistan will also participate in the inauguration ceremony.Following the inauguration, guests will tour the various hubs and stalls of the festival. The 'Innovation Fair' and 'Technology Fair' will showcase cutting-edge renewable energy technologies and services from domestic innovators and corporate entities, with 20 stalls in the Innovation Fair and 9 in the Technology Fair. The 'Innovation-to-Impact Marketplace' will provide a platform for startups and young entrepreneurs to present their business models to investors and banks, with the most promising innovations receiving seed funding. Oxfam Bangladesh will also organize a dialogue session on industrial decarbonization.On the final day of the festival, distinguished speakers will include Shafiqul Alam, Lead Analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA); Engineer Md. Mujibur Rahman, Director of Renewable Energy Development at SREDA; M. Zakir Hossain Khan, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Change Initiative; Tanzina Dilshad, Programme Manager at the EU Delegation to Bangladesh; and Md. Sabur Hossain, Additional Secretary and Chairman of the Bangladesh Energy and Power Research Council (BEPRC).Multiple high-level parallel dialogue and plenary sessions will be held, examining the national and regional context of the energy transition. Sessions will cover energy policy and governance for a just transition; financing and investment in renewable energy; innovation, technology, and infrastructure; and social and environmental safeguards in the energy transition. Experts from South and Southeast Asia will share their countries' experiences, with a strong focus on drawing lessons for Bangladesh's own transition pathway. Innovators, young leaders, and partner organizations who have made outstanding contributions to the renewable energy sector will also be recognized and awarded. The festival will conclude with a puppet show and cultural performances. The closing ceremony will be graced by Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), as a special guest.As in the previous year, the 'Youth and People Hub' remains one of the flagship attractions of the festival. Through dialogues, workshops, cultural activities, networking sessions, and community shows, the Hub will create spaces for learning, collaboration, and experience-sharing among citizens, policymakers, and private sector representatives, empowering people to actively contribute to an inclusive and just energy transition in Bangladesh.Co-organizers of the festival include the Bangladesh Energy and Power Research Council (BEPRC), Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), Bangladesh Solar and Renewable Energy Association (BSREA), Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER), Greenery Energy Solution Limited, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), Oxfam in Bangladesh, and The Earth Society. The overarching goal of the festival is to bring government policymakers, researchers, the private sector, investors, civil society, and development partners together onto a single platform; and to produce a concrete, action-oriented plan in the aftermath of the event.