Shawdesh Desk:

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday renewed her pledges to illuminate every house of the country by 2021 urging people to be economical in using power.

“We’ve taken massive programmes to celebrate the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2020 and the golden jubilee of independence in 2021 and our goal is to light up every house 2021,” she said.

The prime minister said this while inaugurating cent percent electrification in 31 upazilas of 18 districts. She also opened two power plants, 11 grid sub-stations and six new transmission lines through a virtual conferencing from her official Ganabhaban residence here this morning.

The government has been giving a huge amount of subsidy to the power sector, said the premier and reiterated her call to the people not to misuse electricity.

“A huge amount of money is spent for producing electricity. We’re now importing LNG and giving a huge amount of subsidy to the power sector. All have to keep in mind that it’s not possible to give subsidy always,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina added: “We’ve already been able to provide electricity to 97.5 percent people of the country. We hope to give power to 100 percent people by 2021.”

The prime minister said her government has planned to generate 24,000 MW electricity by 2021, 40,000 MW by 2030 and 40,000 MW by 2041 for overall economic development of the country.

“We’re setting up 100 special economic zones across the country for further industrialisation and generating more employments, and a huge amount of electricity will be needed for this,” she said.

Hasina said the government has also established Digital Bangladesh. “As much as the use of ICT will increase in the country, the demand for power will go up,” she remarked.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid was connected to the function from his ministry office.

PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus moderated the function while secretaries concerned to the premier were present at the Ganabhaban.

Power Division Secretary Dr Sultan Ahmed made a presentation titled “Power Sector in Bangladesh: From Bangabandhu to Bangabandhu Daughter” focussing on power sector development that took place in the last 11 years.

Besides, a documentary on power sector progress was screened at the function.