Power Crisis
PM blames it on BNP
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the country would not have faced power crisis if BNP-Jamaat government had continued various development programmes undertaken by her government in power sector.
The premier said this when the newly elected members of Board of Directors of Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) led by its President A K Azad called on her at her office.
"During our previous tenure from 1996 to 2001, we have raised the country's power production to 4,300 megawatts from 1,600 MW and undertaken various projects to raise generation up to 5,500 MW," Hasina said.
But, she regretted, the BNP-Jamaat government after assuming office did not take any initiative to raise power production considering its growing demand in the country. "Rather, they had destroyed the vital sector through looting and mismanagement that increased sufferings of the people," she added.
PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed newsmen after the meeting.
Referring to the existing power and gas crisis, Hasina said her present government is working relentlessly to solve the crisis although it is not possible to overcome the situation overnight as the BNP-Jamaat government kept the sector in a fragile state.
"We are making all out efforts to improve the situation to minimise sufferings of the people," she added.
Despite many obstacles, she said, the present government has been able to add 1,000MW electricity to the national grid during the last one and a half years although the BNP-Jamaat government could not add a single megawatt of power during its five-year tenure.
Apart from this, Hasina said her government has taken steps to raise power production through setting up new plants along with repairing the old ones.
Regarding gas, she said her government has also taken measures to dig new gas well to solve the gas crisis.
In this context, she said the BNP-Jamaat government did not taken any initiative to explore oil and gas that deepened the crisis further.
The PM called upon the countrymen to maintain austerity in using electricity, gas and water in the greater national interest.
Lauding the role of private sector for economic development of the country, she said her previous government had taken various steps for strengthening private sector.
The PM said her government has attached importance to agriculture and industry sectors as well as decentralisation of power for overall development of the country.
She mentioned that her previous government shifted the responsibilities of Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory to Bangladesh Army and Khulna Shipyard to Navy that are doing very well.
During the meeting, the FBCCI leaders appreciated the PM's leadership in keeping the wheels of the country's economy moving even during the global economic downturn.
Regarding power situation, they apprised the premier that the World Bank will finance in setting up two 1,200 MW each power plants in Chittagong and Khulna in private sector that would immensely help to improve the existing power situation.
The FBCCI leaders also appreciated the present government for ensuring smooth supply of fertiliser and other inputs and said these steps have enormously helped increase agricultural production.
In this context, they recalled that farmers had been killed when they demanded fertiliser during BNP's tenure. "But, now you have ensured that fertilisers will go to the farmers' doorsteps, farmers would not have to come to fertiliser," they added.
On wage increase of garment workers, the business leaders told the premier, "We have increased their wages due to your personal initiative."
The garment workers are very happy with increase of their wages, they added.
Former FBCCI President Salman F Rahman, Kazi Akram Uddin, Ambassador-At-Large M Ziauddin and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister M A Karim, among others, were present.
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