Environment activists on Saturday said the Bangladesh government should take initiative to use renewable energy for a prosperous economy and to be self-reliant in energy.
The speakers also urged the people concerned to make people aware about renewable energy in a seminar at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban at Dhaka University, said a press release. 
Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan organised the seminar titled ‘Unused fuel mines and solar power in Bangladesh: a revolutionary opportunity to prevent climate change and achieve prosperous economy and self reliance on fuel’.
Economist Anu Muhammad said sunlight was the only resource which all people could use and added that the state should come forward to take initiatives to use this resource.
He said due to the government’s unwillingness there was no realistic initiative to use sunlight.
He also urged the media, scientists, researchers and experts to come forward to increase awareness among people.   
While presenting the keynote paper, Sajed Qamal, professor at Brandeis University in the United States of America, said countries like Cuba, Germany and the Latin Americans countries were making plans to use renewable fuels for meeting their demands of fuels.
The people are using fuels which were causing global worming, he said, adding that there was a huge possibility for Bangladesh to use renewable energy but the country never considered this possibility.
Sajid urged the government to use renewable energy, especially solar power, which would be friendly to the people, environment and economy.
Dhaka University’s Institute of Renewable Energy department professor Saiful Haque said it was a problem that people thought it would be expensive to use solar power. 
He said ones the infrastructure was set up for solar power use, it gives long-term services.
The speakers also said the government should provide necessary fund to make popular the use of solar power, establish solar energy institute at every university, take long-term initiative for using solar power and political good will.
The programme was attended, among others, by BAPA chairman ASM Shahjahan and moderated by general secretary Mohammad Abdul Matin, DU applied physic department professor Mohammad Habibur Rahman and GTZ’s senior adviser Khurshed-Ul-Islam.