Indian credit use unconditional: PM

BNP misleading people about Modi visit, she says

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said that no condition was imposed on $2 billion Line of Credit (LoC) to be provided as loans to Bangladesh by India, saying that Bangladesh is accepting the money to use independently, reports BSS.
“There is no condition in accepting US$2 billion LoC from India. We can spend the amount in the projects and sectors at our will...we don’t receive anything on conditions,” she said. “We are an independent country and we are accepting the money by maintaining friendly relations and keeping an opportunity for working independently,” she added.
The Prime Minister made the comments while responding to a supplementary from independent lawmaker Rustam Ali Farazi in the House during her question answer session.
The prime minister also told the JS that the government has undertaken various multipurpose projects for generating electricity to bring all citizens under the power coverage by 2021.
“We will be able to reach electricity to all households by 2021 through our coordinated programmes in the power and energy sector,” she said, while replying to a question from treasury bench member MA Hannan.
Hasina said the government has undertaken various plans to achieve the electricity generation capacity up to 20,000 megawatt (MW) by 2021. She said the electricity generation already reached 13,265 MW by now from only 3,268 MW in 2009, adding, “currently, country’s 70 per cent people have access to electricity.”
"We’ll take steps soon to get electricity from Bhutan either investing there or procure from there," she said while responding to a supplementary question from ruling party MP Dr Dipu Moni (Chandpur-3) in  Parliament during the PM's question-answer session.
The Prime Minister informed the House that initiatives are now underway to construct 28 power plants with a capacity to generate 6,764 MW electricity, while 17 more plants having 4,799 MW capacity are ready for tender.
She said the government has also a plan to construct eight state-owned power plants with a generation capacity of 7,085 MW electricity. “We have taken another plan to produce 11,170 MW coal fired electricity in the country,” Sheikh Hasina told the House.
She said that the number of beneficiaries having access to electricity rose to 11.68 crore now from 5.94 crore in 2006.
“The government has provided new power connections to 3,04,839 in the rural electrification areas only in May 2015 and the number of people with access to power is 18 lakh only in one month,” Sheikh Hasina added.
The BNP-Jamaat alliance government failed to produce electricity against the demand due to huge corruption, inexperience and lack of visionary and effective plans, she said.
“During their regime, the loadsheding rose to an intolerable stage, continuing 12/14 hours a day in some areas. Trade and business, agriculture along with lifestyle became miserable during the BNP-Jamaat regime,” Prime Minister said.
Replying to a supplementary question, Sheikh Hasina said the government has introduced prepaid meter to avoid ghost bill along with reducing unauthorized connections.
“We have produced 7,815 MW electricity, the highest level of generation in the country against the demand and constructed 70 power plants during the last regime,” she added.
Terming the implementation of much-awaited Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) with India as a great political and diplomatic success, the prime minister said through this landmark deal, Bangladesh would get 10,050 acre more lands from its next-door neighbour.
“The Indian parliament has ratified the LBA by amending the constitution.  Today’s implementation is the success of our initiatives and through the execution of the deal, the long-awaited expectation of the enclave people has been fulfilled,” she said.
The Leader of the House said this in reply to a question raised by treasury bench member SM Mostafa Rashidi Suja in the House during her question answer session. She said the subsequent governments of Zia, Etshad, Khaleda and caretaker government had no courage to solve the problem.
Sheikh Hasina said those who did not accept Bangladesh’s independence under the leadership of Bangabandhu considered the LBA as the agreement of slavery.
The prime minister also alleged the BNP is trying to confuse people about the ‘huge achievement’ Bangladesh made during the Dhaka visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

 

Indian credit use unconditional: PM

BNP misleading people about Modi visit, she says

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said that no condition was imposed on $2 billion Line of Credit (LoC) to be provided as loans to Bangladesh by India, saying that Bangladesh is accepting the money to use independently, reports BSS. There is no condition in accepting US$2 billion LoC from India. We can spend the amount in the projects and sectors at our will...we dont receive anything on conditions, she said. We are an independent country and we are accepting the money by maintaining friendly relations and keeping an opportunity for working independently, she added. The Prime Minister made the comments while responding to a supplementary from independent lawmaker Rustam Ali Farazi in the House during her question answer session. The prime minister also told the JS that the government has undertaken various multipurpose projects for generating electricity to bring all citizens under the power coverage by 2021. We will be able to reach electricity to all households by 2021 through our coordinated programmes in the power and energy sector, she said, while replying to a question from treasury bench member MA Hannan. Hasina said the government has undertaken various plans to achieve the electricity generation capacity up to 20,000 megawatt (MW) by 2021. She said the electricity generation already reached 13,265 MW by now from only 3,268 MW in 2009, adding, currently, countrys 70 per cent people have access to electricity. Well take steps soon to get electricity from Bhutan either investing there or procure from there, she said while responding to a supplementary question from ruling party MP Dr Dipu Moni (Chandpur-3) in Parliament during the PMs question-answer session. The Prime Minister informed the House that initiatives are now underway to construct 28 power plants with a capacity to generate 6,764 MW electricity, while 17 more plants having 4,799 MW capacity are ready for tender. She said the government has also a plan to construct eight state-owned power plants with a generation capacity of 7,085 MW electricity. We have taken another plan to produce 11,170 MW coal fired electricity in the country, Sheikh Hasina told the House. She said that the number of beneficiaries having access to electricity rose to 11.68 crore now from 5.94 crore in 2006. The government has provided new power connections to 3,04,839 in the rural electrification areas only in May 2015 and the number of people with access to power is 18 lakh only in one month, Sheikh Hasina added. The BNP-Jamaat alliance government failed to produce electricity against the demand due to huge corruption, inexperience and lack of visionary and effective plans, she said. During their regime, the loadsheding rose to an intolerable stage, continuing 12/14 hours a day in some areas. Trade and business, agriculture along with lifestyle became miserable during the BNP-Jamaat regime, Prime Minister said. Replying to a supplementary question, Sheikh Hasina said the government has introduced prepaid meter to avoid ghost bill along with reducing unauthorized connections. We have produced 7,815 MW electricity, the highest level of generation in the country against the demand and constructed 70 power plants during the last regime, she added. Terming the implementation of much-awaited Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) with India as a great political and diplomatic success, the prime minister said through this landmark deal, Bangladesh would get 10,050 acre more lands from its next-door neighbour. The Indian parliament has ratified the LBA by amending the constitution. Todays implementation is the success of our initiatives and through the execution of the deal, the long-awaited expectation of the enclave people has been fulfilled, she said. The Leader of the House said this in reply to a question raised by treasury bench member SM Mostafa Rashidi Suja in the House during her question answer session. She said the subsequent governments of Zia, Etshad, Khaleda and caretaker government had no courage to solve the problem. Sheikh Hasina said those who did not accept Bangladeshs independence under the leadership of Bangabandhu considered the LBA as the agreement of slavery. The prime minister also alleged the BNP is trying to confuse people about the huge achievement Bangladesh made during the Dhaka visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.