Every house in country will be lit up: PM

Published : 05 Aug 2018, 17:13

Jagoroniya Desk

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated eight newly constructed power plants, reiterating her government’s target of illuminating every house of the country.

“Our aim is to light up every house of the country … we’re working to achieve the goal,” she said while opening eight new power plants, having a total generation capacity of 1742 MW, by unveiling their plaques through a video conference from Ganabhaban here this afternoon.

Sheikh Hasina also inaugurated two grid substations as well as cent percent electrification activities in more 21 upazilas of the country.

The prime minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman liberated the country to build ‘Sonar Bangla’ by bringing smiles on the faces of the common people.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has been working in a planned way to build the country where there will be no poverty and none will die suffering from diseases and remain in darkness.

“We want everybody to be educated and every house to be lit up,” she said.

The prime minister reaffirmed her call to the people to be economical in using electricity. “A huge amount of money is spent for generating electricity and you’ll have to keep it in your mind,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government is giving a huge amount of subsidy in the power sector. “We’re giving subsidy more than the production cost and through it, we’re improving the living standard of the people,” she said.

The premier urged the people to turn the switch off with their own hands to save the electricity, saying: “We want that the electricity is not misused.”

Mentioning that the every area of the country will be brought under the cent percent electricity coverage, Sheikh Hasina said the government has increased power generation capacity to 18,900 MW from 3200.

“We’ve set up 122 power plants, while work on construction of 26 plants having 14,134 MW is underway. Besides, we’ve imported 600 MW electricity from India, while a process for importing 1000 MW is going on,” she said.

The premier said talks on purchasing hydroelectricity from Nepal and Bhutan are underway.

She said the government is implementing multifaceted schemes like the nuclear power plant and solar power plants to meet the growing demand of power in the country. “The people are getting its benefit,” she said.

The new power plants inaugurated by the premier are Ghorashal 365-MW capacity Combined Cycle Power Plant, Kodda, Gazipur 300 MW capacity plant at Gazipur, Daudkandi 200 MW capacity plant, Fenchuganj 200 MW combined cycle power plant, Noapara 100 MW Power Plant and Kamalaghat, Mushiganj 54 MW Power Plant at Munshiganj and Siddhirganj 335 MW combined cycle power plant’s simple cycle (gas turbine) and Siddhirganj 225 combined cycle power plant (second unit).

The 21 upazilas where 100 percent areas have come under the electricity connectivity are Maulvibazar Sadar upazila, Saghata in Gaibandha, Austogram in Kishoreganj, Manohardi in Narsingdi, Cumilla Sadar Dakkhin, Khetlal in Joypurhat, Kalai in Joypurhat, Porsha in Nagaon, Mohanpur and Durgapur in Rajshahi, Atowari in Panchagarh, Kishoreganj in Nilphamari, Fulgazi, Parshuram, Chagalnaiya and Sonagazi in Feni, Patia and Hathazari in Chattogram, Dakhhin Surma in Sylhet and Habiganj sadar upazila.

The two grid substations are Bhulta 400/230KV Grid Substation in Narayanganj and Khagrachhari 132/33KV Grid Substations.

The prime minister later exchanged views with beneficiaries of Kishoreganj, Cumilla, Maulvibazar and Khagrachhari.

Prime Minister’s Adviser Dr Toufique-E-Elahi Chowdhury and State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid Bipu spoke at the function while Power Division Secretary Dr Ahmed Kaikaws narrated various achievements and steps of the ministry through a power point presentation.

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Tajul Islam and newly-elected Mayor of Rajshahi AHM Khairuzzaman Liton were present at the function, moderated by PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman.

Source: BSS

  • Latest
  • Most viewed