Govt is working to illuminate every village: PM

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DHAKA, Sept 11, 2019 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her government is taking various measures to increase power generation and holding talks with neighbouring countries to import electricity to light up every village of the country.

“We wanted to illuminate each of the villages and for that, the government is setting up power plants and transmission lines and holding talks with neighbouring countries — India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar — to import electricity,” she said.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating four power plants that added 435.4 megawatt power to the national grid, eight 33/11 KV GIS sub-stations and complete electrification at 10 upazilas through a videoconference from her official residence Ganabhaban here.

Mentioning that Bangladesh has imported 600 MWs of electricity from India, she said “The government is planning to invest in Bhutan and Nepal whereas discussions are going on with Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal to import hydropower to meet the growing demand of power.”

The prime minister said, “We are committed to reach electricity to every house in accordance with the promise to build a poverty-free country as electricity creates scope for job employment.”

Sheikh Hasina, also Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister, said, “Around 93 percent people of the country came under the electricity coverage as the country is now generating over 22,000 MWs of electricity.”

The government has been working for the country’s cent percent electrification, she said adding all the people of villages, upazilas and unions will be brought under the coverage in phases to ensure every civic amenities for them.

“Our main target is to reach fruit of developments to each of the houses both in cities and villages and we are relentlessly working for it,” she said.

The Prime Minister, however, urged all to exercise austerity in using electricity. The government is giving electricity to the consumers at a price which is half of the production cost.

Taking a swipe at the BNP-Jamaat government for taking the country backward, she said, “After assuming office in 1996, we only got 1600 MW electricity and we increased the figure to 4300 MW. But, the power generation was reduced to 3200 MW after the BNP took office in 2001.”

The four power plants the prime minister opened are – Baghabari, Sirajganj 200 MW Power Plant by Paramount BTrac Energy Ltd, Jamalpur 115MW Power Plant by United Jamalpur Power Ltd, Bogura 113 MW Power Plant by Confidence Power Bogura-2 Ltd, and Kaptai, Rangamati 7.4 MWp Solar Photovoltaic (PV) by Grid-Connected Power Generation Plant at Kaptai.

The new eight power substations are – Godnail, Mandalpara, Dapa of Fatullah, and Nandalalpur of Fatullah in Narayanganj and Shahjahanpur, Mugdapara, Banosree of Rampura and Zahir Raihan Road of Shahbagh in Dhaka.

The 10 upazilas which came under cent percent power coverage are – Goraghat in Dinajpur, Matlab Dakkhin in Chandpura and Sadar, Pachbibi and Akkelpur in Joypurhat, Paba in Rajshahi, Sadar and Rupganj in Narayanganj, Haripur in Thakurgaon and Companiganj in Noakhali.

According to officials of the power ministry, a total of 340 upazilas in the country have so far been brought under cent percent electricity coverage.

Among others, PM’s Energy Adviser Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, lawmakers Mirza Azam, Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapon and Md. Habibe Millat and Asian Development Bank (ADB), Bangladesh Country Director Manmohan Parkash were present on the occasion.

PM’s Principal Secretary Dr. Md Nojibur Rahman moderated the function while Power Division Senior Secretary of Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Dr Ahmad Kaikaus gave an overview on the overall development in the power sector.

Chief Coordinator on SDG Affairs of the Prime Minister Office (PMO) Md Abul Kalam Azad, PMO Secretary Sajjadul Hassan, and PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim were also present.

The prime minister later exchanged views with the people of the concerned districts.