Germany Pledges €600 Million for Renewable Energy in Bangladesh

Germany has pledged €600 million to support renewable energy initiatives in Bangladesh, German Ambassador Achim Tröster announced on Wednesday during a courtesy meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his office in Tejgaon, Dhaka.

Ambassador Tröster highlighted the long-standing relationship between the two nations, noting that Germany has become one of Bangladesh’s largest development partners, providing over €1 billion in aid in recent years.

He emphasized that Germany’s support would be demand-driven, and revealed that €50 million had already been proposed as immediate aid for renewable energy projects in Bangladesh. Additionally, over the next eight years, Germany will extend a further €600 million for renewable energy development in the country.

"This is a privileged programme," Tröster said, explaining that Bangladesh is one of the select few countries to receive such significant aid.

During the meeting, Professor Yunus reflected on his enduring friendship with German leaders and recalled his attendance at several Berlin Wall anniversary events. He urged for greater German investment in Bangladesh, particularly in the areas of technology and expertise to help combat corruption.

Yunus also stressed the importance of focusing on the aspirations of the nation’s youth, particularly in empowering them to become entrepreneurs. He reassured the ambassador that his government is committed to removing any barriers to German investment and called for more private German funding to support renewable energy and green transitions.

Special envoy Lutfey Siddiqi briefed the German ambassador on recent reforms in the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), while emphasizing the potential for German and Bangladeshi firms to collaborate on a green energy corridor.

Other key figures present at the meeting included Lamiya Morshed, Senior Secretary for SDG Affairs, Uttam Kumar Karmaker, Additional Secretary of ERD, Kazi Russel Pervez, a Director General from the Foreign Ministry, and Jan Janowski, Deputy Chief of Mission at the German Embassy.

Earlier, on 17 September, Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan announced that Germany will provide Bangladesh with €1 billion over the next 10 years, including €15 million this year, with a focus on renewable energy generation. Both nations will collaborate to promote knowledge exchange and cooperation with non-state actors, including the private sector, research institutions, and civil society, according to Rizwana’s meeting with Ambassador Tröster.