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Although electricity access is near universal, speakers said women continue to experience “energy poverty” through unpaid labour and health risks associated with cooking fuels.
MJF Programme Director Banasree Mitra Neogi said rural women spend more than five hours a day on cooking and fuel collection, reducing time for education, income generation and leadership roles.
She also said nearly 90 percent of households still rely on biomass fuels, while only 28 percent of people have access to clean cooking fuel, exposing women to serious health risks.
The platform further said it will work to expand women-led and community-based renewable energy initiatives, create employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for women, and strengthen women’s participation in just transition decision-making.
The launch followed the Just Energy Transition Conference 2026, organised by MJF on Sunday, which brought together policymakers, private-sector representatives, women leaders, youth groups, marginalised communities and grassroots innovators, organisers said.
At the conference, WEE-NET urged the government to ensure meaningful participation of women and marginalised communities in energy and climate policymaking, phase out fossil fuel subsidies in favour of renewable energy, and stop approvals for new coal-, gas- and oil-based power plants.
The network also called for renewable energy targets of 30 percent by 2030, 40 percent by 2041 and 100 percent by 2050, along with tax waivers on solar equipment, duty cuts to expand electric mobility, and the creation of two million jobs for women and marginalised groups through training, finance and technical support.
The 33 organisations under the platform include Welfare Efforts (WE), Dalit Empowerment Foundation, Breaking The Silence, Bangladesh Indigenous Women’s Network, Village Education Resource Center, UDAYAN, ESDO, POPI and ASHIKA Development Associates.
Feb 12 polls
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election officials at the Shilpakala Academy in Barishal city.
Referring to security measures, he said a security app was successfully used during the last two pujas and will be used again during the election.
“There are 42,700 polling centres countrywide, while there were about 33,000 puja mandaps. The security app worked effectively there,” he added.
He said that to address potential risks, the government has increased the deployment of security forces. Around 1,00,000 army personnel, 1,50,000 police personnel, 10,000 Rab members, 5,000 navy personnel, 37,000 borderguards, 5,000 coastguards and nearly 6,00,000 Ansar members will be deployed nationwide.
BNCC members will also be engaged, he said.
The adviser said body cameras will be used by law enforcers, alongside CCTV cameras, drones and dog squads.
He reiterated that all concerned will perform duties impartially to ensure a credible election.