The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made a commitment to bring the whole of Bangladesh within electricity coverage within a year. Since 2009, her government has been relentlessly trying to increase the country’s electricity production capacity. As a result of this effort, the country is now getting the dividends.

Electricity is very vital for industrial and agricultural production. And in the recent years, the overall increase in the growth of GDP is a clear demonstration of these benefits. For increasing electricity production, the government had to take the very unpopular step of increasing the price of electricity for several times for almost every year, but the tough decision for pricing the commodity has brought yields.

The government has also taken some steps to reduce the unnecessary consumption of electricity. Among them is introducing prepaid meters for paying the price of electricity by individual household. This step made many consumers more aware of their consumption of electricity. This method of billing has made the consumer see right before his eyes the fact that if he wastes electricity, it is he whose money is wasted.

There is no such dubiousness in the present system. And the prepaid meter system should be introduced everywhere in the country. It would certainly check wastage of precious electricity that the country produces.

There is also the necessity of stopping the pilferage of electricity by taking strong steps. Electricity theft does not occur without the notice of people involved in the distribution of electricity to the public. Therefore, if the people running PDB or REB or any other relevant entities for that matter become tough, this pilferage of electricity can surely be stopped.

Development of Bangladesh crucially depends on the production of electricity and its proper use. The total amount of power production and consumption itself can act as a development indicator for any country. It is very positive that in this regard Bangladesh is on the right track. It is our expectation that the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina become successful in her plan to bring the whole country under electricity coverage as committed.