Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said on Sunday that the government would present a 10-year plan for the country’s energy and power sector to parliament.
He said the plan would ensure electricity supplies to schools, colleges, hospitals, industries and homes, as well as adequate gas for vehicles.
Tarique made the remarks at a rally organized at the beach of Baharchhara Union in Banshkhali, Chattogram.
He said the previous dictatorship had handed the country’s energy and power sector to a few individuals and adopted plans to serve their interests rather than those of the people.
“Now some time is needed to organize that energy and power system in a planned manner for the interest of the people. We have already started that work,” he said.
He said the government would present to parliament its plans for Bangladesh’s energy and power systems over the next 10 years and begin implementing them after the parliamentary presentation.
The prime minister accused some people of spreading confusion over the energy sector.
“For the past few days, a few people have been trying to spread confusion on this issue. The BNP government will present a plan in parliament. If someone has a plan, it must be presented to the people. But please do not create chaos and people's peace cannot be destroyed in the country by making misleading statements,” he said.
Tarique said reliable energy and security were essential to economic growth and attracting domestic and foreign investment.
“To bring domestic and foreign investment to the country, peace and order must be ensured. Investors want the products produced in their factories to be able to go to the port without any problems and raw materials to be able to come in properly. To run industries properly, uninterrupted supply of electricity and fuel is necessary,” he said.
He said China had been given a large area in Anwara for industrial development and that Chinese investors were expected to establish hundreds of mills there.
“We have given a huge space to China in Anwara. I have spoken to them since I came back from China. They will build hundreds of mills there and, God willing, the people of Chittagong will get the opportunity to work there,” he said.
He said the investment would help address unemployment and increase foreign exchange earnings.
Tarique also said the government had introduced farmer cards alongside family cards.
He said salt farmers in parts of Banshkhali would also be eligible for farmer cards, alongside farmers growing rice, jute, vegetables and other crops.
The prime minister said the government had fixed the price of salt after discussions with stakeholders.
“We have InshaAllah fixed the price of salt. The price that the salt farmer brothers get will become self-reliant, they will be financially prosperous,” he said.
He said the government would announce the price in the coming days, adding that salt farmers would no longer have to face the difficulties they had experienced previously.
At the rally, Tarique announced that the upazila hospital would be upgraded to 101 beds.
He also said family cards would be provided to about 4.1 million families across the country during the current fiscal year, with plans to distribute the cards to 10,000 to 12,000 families in Banshkhali.
FP/R
