Govt. is taking project to illuminate every home: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her government took up a series of projects to develop further the power sector keeping in mind the increased demand of electricity to meet future need and illuminate every home.

"We know that electricity demand is growing with the country's development. Keeping this in mind the government has chalked out plans to fulfill the future demand and reach electricity to every house," she said.

She made the comment while inaugurating eight new power plants alongside transmission and distribution systems that would ensure 100 percent electrification of ten Upazilas and reach power to a rugged upazila in Bandarban.

The premier opened the projects through video conference with the concerned officials, beneficiaries, public representatives and local people of Kotalipara, Meherpur, Tangail, Nilphamari, Jamalpur and Bandarban from her Gonobhaban residence.

Prime minister's energy affairs adviser Dr Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid Bipu and senior officials were present at the function conducted by her Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury.

Secretary of the Power Division Dr Ahmad Kaikaus presented a video presentation on present condition and future plan of the power sector.

The new power plants inaugurated by the Prime Minister are- Shahzibazar 330 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant, Summit Barisal 110 MW Power Plant, Powerpack Mutiyara Jamalpur 95 MW Power Plant, Summit Narayangonj 55 MW Power Plant, Nababgonj 55 MW Power Plant and Manikgonj 55 MW power plant.

These power plants, which were contracted under public and private sector entrepreneurs, have capacity of generating 1375 MW power.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated 100 percent electrification in ten Upazilas and switched on electricity supply system for rugged Thanchi Upazila of Bandarban hill district.

The Upazilas brought under electrification are- Kotalipara, Keranigonj, Mujibnagar, Savar, Tongibari, Kulisrchar, Bhuapur, Karnaphuli, Daganbhuiya and Syedpur.

The Prime Minister commissioned the Bibiyana-Kaliakoir 400kv transmission line and Kaliakoir 400/230/132kv grid substation and inaugurated up-gradated 225 mw Khulna combined cycle gas turbine power plant the previous capacity of which was 150 MW.

Inaugurating the power plants the Prime Minister said her government is making relentless efforts to ensure electricity supply to every lneighbourhood of the country by 2021 at an affordable price.

Over the last eight years, she said, the power sector witnessed a tremendous progress contributing to the country's socioeconomic successes, employment generation, food production, increased literacy rate and women development.

Sheikh Hasina said the number of power plants in the country was only 27 when her party took office in 2009, with production capacity of 4,942 MW while the number of plants now stood at 108, having generation capacity of 15,351 MW.

The Prime Minister said her government was striving to make Bangladesh a poverty free country and for the development of the country electricity was an important component.

But, she said, the power sector witnessed a horrendous situation as BNP and Jammat alliance government as well as the past caretaker government didn't take any step for cope with the situation.

After coming to power in 2009, the Awami League government has adopted policies for generation of power from multiple sources, giving facilities to both public and private sectors to take projects, she said.

The prime minister urged everybody to maintain austerity in using electricity and check misuse of electricity as the government give huge subsidy for its production.

Earlier, the Prime Minister witnessed a presentation of Engineer in Chief of Bangladesh Army Major General Md. Siddiqur Rahman Sarker on proposed integrated traffic management at Bojoy Sarani area of city.

Army Chief General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq, Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, PMO Secretary Suraiya Begum, PM's Military Secretary Major General Mia Mohammad Zainul Abedin took part in the discussion on the presentation.

PM's press secretary Ehsanul Karim said the Prime Minister elaborately went through the presentation and gave some directives for its better execution to ease traffic congestion in the city's busy Bijoy Sarani area.

Source: BSS