Future with a power bonanza

The ruling party promised electricity to everyone by 2021 and to keep that pledge, a project: ‘Strengthening the gridline of electricity of Dhaka and western areas’ will be presented at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). The Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) will implement the project within 2024. Under this project, the authorities will provide electricity to the people of Dhaka, Faridpur, Madaripur, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Gopalganj, Pirojpur, Bhola, Jhalkathi, Patuakhali, Bagerhat, Jessore, Jhenaidah, Khulna, Kushtia, Meherpur, Satkhira, Naogaon, Dinajpur, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari.

The target is to produce 24,000 megawatt of electricity by 2021 and 40,000 by 2030. The authorities are also setting up distribution lines to provide electricity for all by 2021. The picture of power in Bangladesh is a tale of radical success from abject failure and this turnaround has happened in the last six years. In 2013, summer was characterized by round the hour power outages with the situation extremely dire in the capital. While this created load shedding in Dhaka and other major cities, work suffered with children often facing unspeakable misery in the heat.

There were times when students were unsure if they would get regular power at homes to prepare for major exams. From that situation of hopelessness, we now stand at a moment when even one hour power outage is a rarity. In six years, the desire of the people for about 40 years has been fulfilled. Of course, there is still some way to go. Remote areas need power and off grid parts have to be connected. At such a point, the power can be used to lure investors and set up factories within or outside special economic zones.  Also, the power can be used to turn rural Bangladesh into a digital dream.

The presence of electricity means, the spread of Internet – an essential tool for villages to be connected and become modern. Hopefully, all upazilas will come under 100 per cent electricity coverage within ‘Mujib Borsho’. Construction work is already under way to set up the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP), the country’s first nuclear power station, which is designed to produce 2.4 gigawatt (GW) of energy. All these set the stage for a Bangladesh which will soon be always illuminated and never a moment lost in the dark.

 

Future with a power bonanza

The ruling party promised electricity to everyone by 2021 and to keep that pledge, a project: Strengthening the gridline of electricity of Dhaka and western areas will be presented at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). The Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) will implement the project within 2024. Under this project, the authorities will provide electricity to the people of Dhaka, Faridpur, Madaripur, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Gopalganj, Pirojpur, Bhola, Jhalkathi, Patuakhali, Bagerhat, Jessore, Jhenaidah, Khulna, Kushtia, Meherpur, Satkhira, Naogaon, Dinajpur, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari. The target is to produce 24,000 megawatt of electricity by 2021 and 40,000 by 2030. The authorities are also setting up distribution lines to provide electricity for all by 2021. The picture of power in Bangladesh is a tale of radical success from abject failure and this turnaround has happened in the last six years. In 2013, summer was characterized by round the hour power outages with the situation extremely dire in the capital. While this created load shedding in Dhaka and other major cities, work suffered with children often facing unspeakable misery in the heat. There were times when students were unsure if they would get regular power at homes to prepare for major exams. From that situation of hopelessness, we now stand at a moment when even one hour power outage is a rarity. In six years, the desire of the people for about 40 years has been fulfilled. Of course, there is still some way to go. Remote areas need power and off grid parts have to be connected. At such a point, the power can be used to lure investors and set up factories within or outside special economic zones. Also, the power can be used to turn rural Bangladesh into a digital dream. The presence of electricity means, the spread of Internet an essential tool for villages to be connected and become modern. Hopefully, all upazilas will come under 100 per cent electricity coverage within Mujib Borsho. Construction work is already under way to set up the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP), the countrys first nuclear power station, which is designed to produce 2.4 gigawatt (GW) of energy. All these set the stage for a Bangladesh which will soon be always illuminated and never a moment lost in the dark.