Extensive program to resolve Bangladesh power crisis -PM

Without power, no country can develop, so if this power crisis is not solved within a short period of time, our country’s development would definitely shut down.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Saturday said the Bangladesh government has undertaken an extensive programme to resolve power crisis of the country.
She urged the expatriates for making investment in the productive sector, especially in the power sector.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina said the government is working towards adding 3,000MW to the country’s power generation capacity by 2013.
The government has a target to generate 20,000MW by 2021, she said on Saturday.

PM told a ceremony at the inauguration of a 51MW power plant at Fenchuganj that the government had already signed deals to set up power plants to generate 1,000MW.

“Work orders for another 1,000MW will be given out within the next two months.”

The country’s 44 power plants generate about 4,000MW a day on average against a peak demand of 5,300MW.

PM said that steps had been taken to generate 5,000MW in the private sector.

The government last month approved a Tk 7000 crore-project to generate 530MW.

The prime minister said that the rural areas were being prioritized for power supply to assist irrigation of Boro crops.

“We are depriving the people in Dhaka and braving their criticism for the benefit of the farmers.”

She called upon the expatriates for more investment in industries.

“It is not possible for the government to implement all the power projects by itself,” said Hasina and assured all kinds of facilities for the expatriates.

She said that about 47 percent of the population have access to electricity and that power demand rose by 7 to 8 percent every year.

The prime minister said that her government was going to initiate large projects.

“These will reduce the power crisis in the short term and ensure power for all by 2020 in the longer term.” .

Hasina said the government was considering to import power from the neighbouring countries including India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar.

“Technical experts of Bangladesh and India are working on power exchange projects between the two countries.”

The prime minister said the government has already taken up a project to install a transmission line from West Bengal’s Bahrampur of India through Bangladesh’s Bheramara.

“We will get at least 250MW by the middle of 2012 from India
she mentioned about the pains that the people are suffering due to power shortage.
Blaming the previous BNP-Jamaat government for putting the people in such troubles she said no initiative was undertaken during five years of BNP-Jamaat regime and two years of caretaker government for increasing generation of power and exploration of gas although the demands for both went higher.
As a result, the deficit for power and gas has increased, she added.
Mentioning that the Awami League government during 1996-2001 period raised power generation to 4300 MWs from 1600 MWs, she said her government has taken a massive to increase generation of power in the country.
Referring to the election manifesto of Awami League she said the government is working with a target of increasing power generation by 7000 MWs by the year 2013 and by 20,000 MWs by 2021.
Under this programme, agreements have been signed for producing electricity from rental power stations at private initiatives at the first phase and for generating 1,000 MWs power at public sector. “Construction of these power stations is going on at a faster pace,” she added.
Mentioning that the government is working to find a way out for importing electricity from India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar, Sheikh Hasina said a team would soon visit Russia to discuss about setting up power stations.
The present load shedding situation would be reduced in the near future, she said adding it is not possible to reduce the problems like power and gas crisis and a little bit more time
would be required for solution of the crisis.
Prime Minister said uninterrupted supply of electricity has been made for ensuring bumper production of Boro paddy. “Last year also we took similar measure and that resulted to a bumper Boro output,” she added.
Urging all for utilizing solar power at government offices and residential houses at towns she said stress should be laid in using solar power and renewable energy at the places where it is difficult to reach grid.
In her address, the Prime Minister highlighted various development activities that her government took for the welfare of the people. “We have already been able to reduce prices of essentials as per our pledges,” she added.
Prices of fertilizers and other agriculture inputs were reduced, she mentioned adding prices of fertilizer have been reduced to Taka 22 from Taka 90. “Farm cards have already been
distributed among the farmers,” she said adding that the national service scheme has started.
The country has attained food security through raising food production, she said adding the price of essentials is under control. “A quarter made conspiracies to increase prices of
essential,” she mentioned adding the plots of the conspirators was foiled due to measures undertaken by the government.
She urged the people to remain alert in this regard.
The Prime Minister mentioned about the development programmes for the greater Sylhet district and said her government is working for the welfare of the people.
She reiterated her determination for establishing a happy-prosperous Bangladesh through implementing Vision 2021 at the silver jubilee of the independence of the country and sought cooperation of the people for implementing the vision.