UNB, Dhaka :
Laying emphasis on creating mass awareness over economical use of power and energy, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said it would not take that much time to reach the facility of electricity to the country’s every household.
“Now around 70 percent of the country’s people are getting electricity facility, Inshallah, it wouldn’t take that much time to reach it to the rest of the country’s households,” she said.
The Prime Minister came up with the assurance during her introductory speech before the senior officials of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources at its conference room.
This was the second visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the ministry since she assumed office for the third time through the January-5 polls. Hasina, who is also in-charge of this ministry, visited it in February last year.
The Prime Minister asked the Ministry officials to give special emphasis on the Palli Bidyut Samities to reach electricity to rural areas since rural electrification is very much important for strengthening and boosting rural economy and thus generating employment opportunities.
Mentioning that her government has already identified 21 sites for Economic Zones, Hasina suggested undertaking a specific plan to set up power plants in those economic zones having power grid lines, water reservoir, gas transmission line and other facilities.
Turning to the economical use of electricity, Hasina said, “If mass awareness is created on the rational use of electricity, then consumption of electricity would come down so as the electricity bills. For this, there’s a need to switch off the power connections when there is no need for using electricity.”
Mentioning that her government has undertaken multifaceted steps so that cent percent households can be brought under electricity coverage, Hasina underscored the need for utilising the solar power in this regard, especially in char, hill and island areas as well as in educational institutions.
Citing the countrywide subversive acts over the last three months unleashed by the BNP-led 20-party alliance like setting fire to power plants,
killing engineers, the Prime Minister said it hurts her when she sees such destructive acts.
Apparently referring to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, Hasina said, “If a politician has passion, care and love for his or her countrymen then that politician cannot unleash such destructive acts.”
“If politics is for people and those people are being burned to death then what kind of politics is this? It’s nothing but bringing a bad name for the whole politics,” she added.
The Prime Minister also expressed her high hope to continue the country’s march forward overcoming the current situation. “Our target is to lit every house in the future and we’ll be able to do that.”
She asked the ministry officials to make sure the existing power plants run more efficiently while the old and dilapidated ones are phased out with then incorporation of newer machinery so that those could work for a longer period.
Citing the huge gain of marine resources through the maritime boundary verdicts over Myanmar and India, she stressed the need for conducting surveys to explore gas and probable oil resources as well as specifying and redesigning the blocks in the bay and thus invite international tenders.
About the regional power cooperation, Hasina said initially some 500 MW of power is being imported from India through the Bheramara-Bahrampur 400 KV transmission and grid substation line while a process is underway to import more 600 MW of power, including 100 MW from Agartala.
About the efforts for importing hydroelectricity from Nepal and Bhutan, she said during the last Saarc Summit in Nepal in November last, the ‘Saarc Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (electricity)’ was signed with Bangladesh’s efforts.
In this connection, she said the scope has already been created to invest there on a tripartite management.
The Prime Minister said power and energy are the basics of all kinds of development as well as the preconditions of development, she said for this the Power and Energy Ministry has a greater responsibility and they have to discharge their duties accordingly.
Hasina said over the last six years of her government, 68 new power plants have so far been built which is a rare example in Bangladesh history.
Listing various immediate, short, mid- and long-term plans of her previous and current government to overcome the crisis and boosting the country’s power and energy sector, she said a work plan would be formulated soon with joint partnership to further strengthen Bapex.
She also said her government has undertaken a plan to generate 1100 MW of power through local coal by 2021.
PM’s Power and Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, Power Division Secretary Monowarul Islam and Energy Division Secretary Abu Bakar Siddique were, among others, present.
The heads of various companies and corporations under the Ministry were also present.
Laying emphasis on creating mass awareness over economical use of power and energy, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said it would not take that much time to reach the facility of electricity to the country’s every household.
“Now around 70 percent of the country’s people are getting electricity facility, Inshallah, it wouldn’t take that much time to reach it to the rest of the country’s households,” she said.
The Prime Minister came up with the assurance during her introductory speech before the senior officials of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources at its conference room.
This was the second visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the ministry since she assumed office for the third time through the January-5 polls. Hasina, who is also in-charge of this ministry, visited it in February last year.
The Prime Minister asked the Ministry officials to give special emphasis on the Palli Bidyut Samities to reach electricity to rural areas since rural electrification is very much important for strengthening and boosting rural economy and thus generating employment opportunities.
Mentioning that her government has already identified 21 sites for Economic Zones, Hasina suggested undertaking a specific plan to set up power plants in those economic zones having power grid lines, water reservoir, gas transmission line and other facilities.
Turning to the economical use of electricity, Hasina said, “If mass awareness is created on the rational use of electricity, then consumption of electricity would come down so as the electricity bills. For this, there’s a need to switch off the power connections when there is no need for using electricity.”
Mentioning that her government has undertaken multifaceted steps so that cent percent households can be brought under electricity coverage, Hasina underscored the need for utilising the solar power in this regard, especially in char, hill and island areas as well as in educational institutions.
Citing the countrywide subversive acts over the last three months unleashed by the BNP-led 20-party alliance like setting fire to power plants,
killing engineers, the Prime Minister said it hurts her when she sees such destructive acts.
Apparently referring to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, Hasina said, “If a politician has passion, care and love for his or her countrymen then that politician cannot unleash such destructive acts.”
“If politics is for people and those people are being burned to death then what kind of politics is this? It’s nothing but bringing a bad name for the whole politics,” she added.
The Prime Minister also expressed her high hope to continue the country’s march forward overcoming the current situation. “Our target is to lit every house in the future and we’ll be able to do that.”
She asked the ministry officials to make sure the existing power plants run more efficiently while the old and dilapidated ones are phased out with then incorporation of newer machinery so that those could work for a longer period.
Citing the huge gain of marine resources through the maritime boundary verdicts over Myanmar and India, she stressed the need for conducting surveys to explore gas and probable oil resources as well as specifying and redesigning the blocks in the bay and thus invite international tenders.
About the regional power cooperation, Hasina said initially some 500 MW of power is being imported from India through the Bheramara-Bahrampur 400 KV transmission and grid substation line while a process is underway to import more 600 MW of power, including 100 MW from Agartala.
About the efforts for importing hydroelectricity from Nepal and Bhutan, she said during the last Saarc Summit in Nepal in November last, the ‘Saarc Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (electricity)’ was signed with Bangladesh’s efforts.
In this connection, she said the scope has already been created to invest there on a tripartite management.
The Prime Minister said power and energy are the basics of all kinds of development as well as the preconditions of development, she said for this the Power and Energy Ministry has a greater responsibility and they have to discharge their duties accordingly.
Hasina said over the last six years of her government, 68 new power plants have so far been built which is a rare example in Bangladesh history.
Listing various immediate, short, mid- and long-term plans of her previous and current government to overcome the crisis and boosting the country’s power and energy sector, she said a work plan would be formulated soon with joint partnership to further strengthen Bapex.
She also said her government has undertaken a plan to generate 1100 MW of power through local coal by 2021.
PM’s Power and Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, Power Division Secretary Monowarul Islam and Energy Division Secretary Abu Bakar Siddique were, among others, present.
The heads of various companies and corporations under the Ministry were also present.
