“I have four children… After [the power plants discharged] the hot water, we observed that the next morning, dead fish were floating in the river, the water turned black and had a bad odor. So we cannot use it for bathing and washing clothes. Fish are decreasing because their habitats are declining due to the hot water discharge.”
In Bangladesh, Japan is influencing Bangladesh’s Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP) to include LNG. However, Japan's energy finance is leading Bangladesh into a debt trap by promoting the unnecessary fossil fuel power system. Electricity produced from LNG costs ten times more than electricity generated from domestic fuels, making it unaffordable for communities in Bangladesh. Japanese financiers consistently invest in LNG-powered plants like the Meghnaghat LNG Power Plant.
To give an example, Meghnaghat LNG Power Plant could incur capacity charges ranging from approximately US$51.13 million to US$112.25 million annually, and over its 22-year lifespan, costs could reach between US$1.12 billion and US$2.47 billion. These costs are then passed on to consumers, resulting in higher electricity bills. The resulting financial burdens are poised to weigh down the economy of Bangladesh as well as the pockets of Bangladesh families.
