RESA Project

Bangladesh Experience

Context

Goals 2020: Providing access to affordable and reliable

electricity to all citizens A long way to go

Electricity coverage – 43% Per capita electricity consumption – 165 kWh

One of the lowest in the world.

Pace of power sector development to be accelerated. Reforms must

People’s participation in the reforms process important.

RESA Project in Bangladesh

Implemented by Unnayan Shamannay with support from CUTS International

Collaboration with the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) The major consumer organization of the country

having committees across the country

13 local CSOs as partners working in 13 districts.

Project Coverage

GaibandhaSingrijani Manob

Unnayan Shangstha

Chapainababganj

Beel Chalan Unnayan

ShangsthaRajshahiShepa Society

MeherpurThikana Manob

Kalyan Shangstha

JessoreSushamaj

FoundationKhulna

Desh

BarisalPeople’s Dev.

Org.

Cox’s BazarWait & See

BholaCAB, Bhola

KhagrachhariUjjibak

ComillaUnited People’s Trust

GazipurAREED

SirajganjSWC

Consumers Association of

Bangladesh (CAB)

Year 1 Activities

Local inception workshop With training of local CSOs

Baseline survey Base paper

First Meeting of the National Reference Group Territorial training

All the CSOs participating

Grassroots interface meeting (GIM) – Phase 1 Eight places of the country covering 12 districts.

GIM 1 Locations

11

2233

44

55

66

7788

Strengths of the Project

Advocacy experience of Unnayan Shamannay Strong network of CAB Strong position of the local partners in the

respective localities Good liaison with different electricity

authorities and the regulatory commission High profile NRG with skilled members Reputation of the team leader Continuous support from CUTS.

Limitations of the Project

Limited geographical coverage Only parts of 13 out of 64 districts Only about 700 people reached

Limited resources Financial and human resources

Short duration Two years too short to have any impact

Limited scopes for exposure of the local CSOs and NRG members to other territories.

Opportunities for the Project

New democratic government’s emphasis on electricity

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) becoming more visible and proactive to ensure greater people’s participation

BERC’s interest in reaching grassroots Huge interest of the local CSOs to work for

people’s participation in electricity reforms Interest of other CSOs not currently involved in

the project.

Threats for the Project

Poor and deteriorating condition of the electricity sector Generation shortage being the greatest drawback People worrying about nothing else but supply.

Energy sector in general subject to lots of political debates

Lack of decisiveness regarding the use of gas and coal.

Strategies for GIM II

To be held during May-July 2009 8 locations covering 13 districts

Altering the districts in cases of one GIM covering more than one district

Solutions to the problems raised in GIM I to be addressed Views of experts in NRG to be taken to devise the

solutions Like GIM I, members of NRG and BERC to be

involved as much as possible.

Conclusion

RESA – a good start for facilitating people’s participation in electricity reforms in Bangladesh Creating scopes for longer term engagement with

the local CSOs on the issues of electricity reforms Capacity building on a wider scale required

Involving more CSOs all over the country Greater institutional mechanism to work more

closely with BERC and the government to be thought about.