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Restoring Balance: Bangladesh’s Rural Energy Realities
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private-sector companies, and local municipalities—interested in serving rural energy customers.
The Way Forward Rural energy’s importance to the Bangladesh economy cannot be underestimated, given the world’s focus on globalization and market reform. This study underscores how the effects of rural energy cut across multiple, diverse facets of rural life—from income and labor productivity to education and women’s health. The problems rural people face in obtaining safe, clean, and reliable energy supplies are not minor inconveniences. On the contrary, they represent a significant barrier to rural economic development and improved social well being. A multifaceted approach to solving Bangladesh’s rural energy problems is not only warranted; it is an essential building block to propel the country into the twenty-first century. The past two decades have witnessed many attempts to promote rural energy. Donorand public-sector supported projects that have introduced and popularized improved biomass stoves have yielded only limited success, despite the large potential benefits of sustaining biomass supply and improving human health. Social afforestation programs initiated over the period have run their course. Although biogas programs have enjoyed considerable success, they fall far short of realizing their considerable potential. Renewable energy efforts, especially the popularization of solar PV, have achieved a remarkable measure of success; even so, the technical and socioeconomic issues associated with scaling up household and village electrification require capacity-building at national and local levels. The rural energy issue identified is this: Bangladesh has a comprehensive need for better institutional coordination and attainment of a critical mass of technology and market development. With effective institutional coordination, combined with market development, appropriate subsidy and pricing policies, and government and donor support, current and proposed programs can succeed beyond expectations. The call for action is urgent, not only for rural development, but for the country’s equitable economic growth.
Notes 1. This study examined the purchase of biomass energy, but did not investigate the market structure of fuelwood or other biofuels; thus, more research in this area is needed. 2. It should be cautioned that even the most effective improved stoves being sold or distributed in developing countries do not lower IAP levels to those recommended by international environmental agencies; but it is a step in the right direction. In developed countries, there are stoves for heating that eliminate virtually all indoor pollution and vent little pollution outside the home. 3. Bricks and tiles require less energy than concrete and corrugated iron roofing; thus, brick making should be encouraged.