PM Hasina: Country needs more energy for development

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said the government wants to develop the country and for that reason it needs more energy.

“We want the development of our country. That’s why we need energy,” she said while visiting Special US Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry called on her at her official residence.

PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim later briefed reporters.

He said the prime minister mentioned that as the source of clean energy, Bangladesh put emphasis on producing more energy from hydroelectric power plants.

“We’ve only one hydroelectric power generation plant. Now we’re in discussion with Nepal, Bhutan and India to set up hydroelectric plants through bilateral or trilateral initiatives on regional basis,” she said.

She also said that there are around 5.8 million solar connectivity in the country.

“Agriculture sector also needs solar energy for irrigation,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina deeply appreciated the decision of the US to return to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

“This’ll create new momentum in climate change diplomacy,” she said.

She said that Bangladesh has started its programs as per its plan to fight against the adverse impact of climate change through creating funds with its own resources.

“We aren’t an emitter, our emission is very much negligible but we along with other climate vulnerable countries will be the victim,” she said.

She also mentioned that Bangladesh has planted more than 20 million trees on the occasion of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

In this connection, she said that through the government initiative, 11.5 million trees have been planted while another 10 million trees have been planted under private initiatives.

She thanked the US president for inviting her to attend the “Leaders Summit on Climate” to be held on April 22 and 23 virtually.

John Kerry thanked the prime minister for accepting the invitation to attend the Summit.

He said that the US put emphasis on using renewable energy for reducing risk of pollution. In this connection, he mentioned that US companies are keen to invest in Bangladesh building partnership with others.

He said that in development finance, the concessionary money will be invested for making the environment pollution free and preserve the environment.

He mentioned that previously the Obama Administration gave $1 billion to the Green Climate Fund, which was supposed to be a $100 billion fund through the participation of all developed countries.

“We’ll give another $2 billion in the Fund,” he said.

He put emphasis on hydroelectricity and solar power for reducing risk of pollution while using the energy.

Regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, Kerry said that in the mid-summer the vaccine in the US will be surplus and they would give vaccines to Bangladesh if Bangladesh wants.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus and US Ambassador Earl Robert Miller were present during the call.