PM urges countrymen to maintain austerity in using electricity

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today renewed her call to the people to be more economical in using electricity to repay the best of government’s huge subsidy to power generation, BSS reports.

She simultaneously urged them to keep up the country’s existing pace of development with the long-term vision formulated by the government.

Let not allow anyone to come to power again who will tie Bangladesh up in the chains of slavery,” she said.

The premier made this call while inaugurating five power plants through a videoconferencing from her official Ganabhaban residence here this morning.

Addressing the function as the chief guest, Sheikh Hasina said, “The government has been providing a huge subsidy to power generation and that’s why you (people) are getting electricity at an affordable price . . . If you don’t maintain austerity in using electricity, we can’t continue this subsidy anymore.”

She said both the solvency and purchasing power of people in rural areas have increased as they can now afford TV, refrigerator, and in many cases AC also. “Their capacity has raised gradually and it has grown even more … it’s now our desire that there will be no disparity and people will get every facility.”

In this connection, she said the people will have to develop the habit of austerity as there is no disgrace if they exercise the practice of putting off the switch with their own hands after using electricity.

The Prime Minister also highlighted her government’s long-term plans such as Perspective Plan, Vision-2041, and Delta Plan-2100 to turn Bangladesh into a developed country and hoped that generation to generation will take the country forward with this pace of uplift following the plans.

“Bangladesh is an independent country and it’ll continue its progress keeping the head high with esteem. So you (people) let not allow anyone again to enchain you in slavery,” she said.

Prime Minister’s Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs Adviser Dr.Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Bir Bikram and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid also spoke in the ceremony at Power Division,while Power Division’s Secretary Md. Habibur Rahman highlighted the overall development of power sectors under the Awami League government.

Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus conducted the ceremony at Ganabhaban.

A documentary on the newly-built five power plants was screened at the ceremony.

The five power plants are 400-MW Combined Cycle Power Plant Bibiyana-3 in Habiganj, up-gradation of 150-MW Power Plant to 225-MW Combined Cycle Power Plant in Sylhet, 100-MW Power Plant Unit-2 at Zulda in Chattogram, 104-MW Power Plant at Meghnaghat in Narayanganj and 100-MW Power Plant at Madhumoti in Bagerhat.

The Premier also unveiled the cover of a publication titled “100” on the occasion of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.