HC asks why Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan should not be reconsidered
It was a response to a writ petition filed by Lawyers for Energy Environment and Development Limited (LEED)
The High Court has issued a rule requiring the respondents to explain why the Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP) 2023 should not be reconsidered, with input from the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
The court's rule also asks the respondents to clarify why they should not be directed to consider and implement the Climate Prosperity Plan 2022-2041, a government-approved strategy aimed at addressing the country's climate challenges in alignment with international treaties Bangladesh has entered into.
The rule was issued by an HC bench led by Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Mubina Asaf, as per a press release issued today (3 December).
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It was a response to a writ petition filed by Lawyers for Energy Environment and Development Limited (LEED), with Barrister Abdullah Mahmood Hasan, Advocate Abdullah Al Noman, Advocate Monera Haque Mone, and Advocate Shimon Raihan representing the organisation.
The government and the secretary of the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources were named as respondents.
The case marks a historic milestone, making Bangladesh the first South Asian country to challenge the IEPMP in the Supreme Court.
LEED, a social enterprise dedicated to promoting energy security and environmental protection, has long advocated against the government's reliance on fossil fuels and its failure to prioritise climate change and human rights.
This legal battle seeks to ensure Bangladesh fulfils its constitutional commitment to a healthy environment and adheres to international climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
The case mirrors global climate lawsuits, including a recent one by children in South Korea, and marks a significant step toward climate justice in South Asia, setting an important legal precedent for holding governments accountable for climate inaction.
Hasan Mehedi, chief executive of the Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network, expressed concerns about the IEPMP, highlighting its reliance on fossil fuels like coal and LNG (30.7%) and advanced but unproven technologies such as liquid hydrogen and ammonia (32.8%) by 2050.
He said that the plan "directly contradicts Bangladesh's Climate Prosperity Plan, which envisions 100% renewable energy by the same year."
While the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has supported energy projects in Bangladesh, its funding of fossil fuel-based initiatives like coal power plants raises questions about adherence to global climate commitments.
