Power crisis annoying Bangladesh

by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
March 11, 2009

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/204/power-crisis-annoying-bangladesh

Name the country, where load shedding takes place almost on every alternative hour! Yeah, that is Bangladesh, where failure of the government has already put the entire nation into severe sufferings due to increased power shortage thus causing regular load shedding in every alternative hour in the Capital city, while most of the urban parts of the country remain in load shedding for an average of 10-15 hours a day.

Power crisis has already turned into a major factor for a large number of factories and large industrial project in Bangladesh in facing virtual collapse. According to experts, this situation will further worsen in the coming months, thus pressing the countrywide production sector into extreme uncertainty. If this situation cannot be resolved urgently, thousands of labours working in various industrial projects in the country will turn jobless.

One of the major foreign currency earning projects in Bangladesh is readymade garments and textile sector. Bangladesh earns millions of dollars every year alone from this sector. But, the worsening situation in power sector is already hampering production thus causing in failures in keeping export schedules. According to entrepreneurs, many large buyers in the world are already turning unhappy on Bangladesh for late shipment or failure in keeping shipment schedule.

The present government got landslide victory in December 29 General Election with their major promise of implementing their plan of 'Digital Bangladesh'. It is known by all that for any such high ambitious plan, smooth supply of power is the first priority. Experts feel that, this much publicized plan of the present government in Bangladesh will have a nosedive soon due to lack of sufficient power supply in the entire country.

IT sector is also facing terrible time due to power crisis. Almost 70 per cent of country's Internet Service Providers fail to ensure continuation of their services due to power crisis. Each day, more than 5-6 hours internet users are unable to get into work due to non-availability of internet connectivity. On the other hand, frequent power crisis and load shedding followed by voltage fluctuation is causing serious harm to various electronic device as well as computers and other sensitive equipments.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently announced that her government is planning to import power from India to tackle country's severe shortage of electricity. But, according to information, such plans are yet in very initial level, which may also take several months for implementation. Mode of payment is another important factor in finalizing the import of electricity from India. New Delhi is willing to supply electricity to Bangladesh in exchange of natural gas through pipe line. But, Bangladeshis are opposing to export of natural gas as according to experts the reserve of natural gas in the country is not sufficient for any export.

It may be mentioned here that, Bangladesh turned-down a multi-billion dollar investment proposal of India's industrial giant – TATA, as the Indian company was willing to get assurance of gas supply in its projects at a cheaper price, which is much beyond international standard. Indian government is reportedly willing to get natural gas from Bangladesh at a 'special' price while it is offering electricity to Bangladesh at a standard international price.

The second option Bangladesh government is considering in resolving the power crisis is establishment of nuclear based power stations in the country. Notorious terror-patron state like Iran has offered technological assistance to Bangladesh in implementing such project. But, experts feel that, Iran will, in the name of supplying technological assistance to Bangladesh in establishing nuclear power plant, will ultimately supply nuclear reactors to the country, thus creating one more nuclear power nation in the Muslim world.

Experts believe that, Bangladesh should discuss the issue of establishing nuclear based power plant with friendly countries like India and United States. Some even suggest that, Bangladesh should abandon decade old notions of opposing the State of Israel and seek technological assistance from that nation is establishing nuclear based power plant in the country. It may be mentioned here that, Israel has extremely friendly relations both with United States and India.

But, whatever formula Bangladesh government may adopt in establishing nuclear power plant in the country, the entire process will take at least 4-5 years for installation and operation of the project, while Bangladesh will remain in 'dark-age' for at least several more years during the tenure of this government.

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