Don’t criticise AL govt for 2 months, PM adviser asks journos

Prime Minister’s energy adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury
Prime Minister’s energy adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury

The prime minister’s energy adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury on Wednesday urged the journalists to refrain from criticising the Awami League government for the next two months.

“Please keep your criticisms of the government on hold for the next two months and extend your support to the government so that it can come to power again,” he said while addressing a press conference at Biduyt Bhaban in the city on Wednesday.

The power and energy ministry arranged the press conference to brief about eight projects which prime minister Sheikh Hasina will formally inaugurate on Thursday through a videoconference from her office.

Of the eight projects in the power and energy sector, seven have already gone into operation while the foundation of one project will be laid on Thursday.

State minister for power and energy Nasrul Hamid, power secretary Ahmad Kaikaus, energy secretary Abu Hena Rahmatul Munim, PDB chairman Khaled Mahmud and Rural Electrification Board chairman MoinUddin were present at the briefing.

Tawfiq Elahi said the ongoing development will not continue if the current government does not come to power again.

He said all the development in power and energy sector have been possible because of prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s visionary leadership. “We never saw such leadership in the past and we don’t know when the country will again get such leadership like Sheikh Hasina,” he added.

State minister Nasrul Hamid claimed that the 94 per cent people of the country have got access to electricity , but he admitted that many places of the country do not get uninterrupted and quality supply of electricity as there is weakness in the transmission and distribution systems.

“We cannot expect uninterrupted and quality electricity soon after getting the electricity connections. We have to wait for two years....we’re working on it,” Nasrul said.

He also admitted that the price hike of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) has been a problem in recent days as there is no mechanism put in place by the government to regulate the price.

“We’ve been working on the issue, but still we couldn’t find any effective mechanism to regulate their place,” he said.

REB chairman Moin Uddin said it will take about two years’ time to provide uninterrupted and quality electricity as some projects are being implemented across the country.

He said hundred percent people of 105 upazilas have got electricity connections and now only a few upazilas are waiting to have the access to it.

“In next two months, those upazilas will also achieve the target and the country’s hundred percent areas will come under electrification network,” he said.

The power projects which the prime minister will inaugurate include 275-MW Barapukuria coal-fired power plant, 100-MW Brahmangaon HSD power plant, 100 MW Awrahati HSD power plant, 149MW Kadda HFO power plant, 300MW Pangaon HSD power plant, 141 MW Sirajganj dual-fuel combined cycle power plant and 20 MW solar power plant.

The prime minister will lay the foundation stone of 400MW Ashuganj power plant.