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 Electricity is one of the biggest problems in Bangladesh. People often get disturbed by load shedding. Specially it becomes a great problem in summer season. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her government has been making relentless efforts to increase the country’s electricity generation aimed at encouraging foreign investors and resolving the nagging power crisis. “We need more power plants to raise the country’s electricity production as foreign entrepreneurs have started arriving to invest in Bangladesh taking the advantage of congenial investment environment,” she said. The Prime Minister said this after inaugurating the operation of two newly set up rental power plants and laying the foundation stone of another one at three separate locations in the district this afternoon. The two plants that went into operation are 100 MW Shiddhirganj diesel-based quick rental power plant and 102 MW Madanganj furnace oil-based quick rental power plant. The two plants were set up in the private sector under a fast-track programme to resolve the annoying power crisis. With the opening of the plants, 202 MW more electricity has been added to the national grid. The present government during the last two years has been able to add nearly 14,00 MW power that is considered as one of the major successes of the Awami League government. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of 360 MW Haripur combined cycle base-load power plant, the biggest in the public sector so far. Describing power crisis as one of the major impediments to foreign investment, Sheikh Hasina said her government after taking office has taken allout measurers to raise the country’s power generation declaring the sector as “emergency sector” and bringing amendments to necessary rules. “We have undertaken projects to increase power production in public and private sectors and through public-private partnership (PPP). It is a great achievement of the government that we have already added nearly 14,00 MW electricity to the national grid during the last two years,” she added. The Prime Minister said her government for the first time in the country’s history has started power production in private sector. “We came to power with many problems and gradually we have solved those,” she said and expressed the hope that her government would be able to improve the country’s power situation. The Prime Minister called upon all to maintain austerity in using electricity for overall development of the country. Referring to the recent tsunami in Japan, she expressed deep condolence at the loss of life and property in the disaster. She said her government and the people of Bangladesh are with the Japanese people so that they could overcome the devastation. Earlier, Power Adviser to the Prime Minister Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power Brig Gen (retd) M. Enamul Haque and Aziz Khan of Summit Group briefed the Prime Minister about the plants. NARAYANGANJ, March 20 (BSS) |
