Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said Bangladesh is now in talks with its neighbouring countries to import electricity to meet its growing demand.
"Discussions are on with India, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal to import hydropower to meet our demands, we have taken that initiative," she said on Wednesday.
The prime minister said this while inaugurating four power plants, eight 33/11 KV GIS sub-stations and hundred percent electrification at 10 upazilas in seven districts across Bangladesh through a video conference from her official residence Gonobhaban.
She said Bangladesh has already imported 600 MW electricity from India. “We are thinking of investing in Bhutan, the negotiations towards that are ongoing, and we are also planning to invest in Nepal."
Electricity and development
The prime minister, also the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister, said the government wants to illuminate the whole country with electricity. "No village will remain in the dark."
However, she asked people to maintain austerity while using electricity as the government is providing it to consumers at half the price of its production and transmission cost.
"Please, do not waste electricity. We are giving electricity at half the price of its production cost. This is not the right way to subsidize, but we are doing it for the welfare of people and their benefit," Hasina said.
Recalling the miserable days of BNP-Jamaat regime, she said they had just taken the country backward in all sectors, including the power sector.
"We have taken development programs to meet demands, to build a poverty-free Bangladesh and provide electricity to all the houses for the socioeconomic development of the country," she added.
The prime minister said the development of power sector is also very crucial alongside all other developments. "Electricity creates job opportunities."
Hasina said only developing Dhaka is not the government's aim. “Providing the touch of progress to all households is the prime task of our government. Our aim is to make the country free from poverty, and we are working with that target in mind."
The inaugurated power stations are Baghabari 200MW power station, Jamalpur 115MW power station, Bogra 113MW power plant and Kaptai 7.4MW solar power plant.
Hasina's Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid and Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Manmohan Parkash among others, were present at the program.
Later, the prime minister video conferenced with the people who will be beneficiaries of the electrification.
