[🇧🇩] Energy Security of Bangladesh

[Saif]

Bangladesh explores energy efficiency technologies at global summit in Kenya

Young Consultants chief executive and Certified Management Consultant M Zakir Hossain has recently held a productive discussion with the Ministry of Power of Kenya and the secretary general of the International Energy Agency at the 9th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency....

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Bangladesh explores energy efficiency technologies at global summit in Kenya
Staff Correspondent 23 May, 2024, 22:18

| Press release photo.

Young Consultants chief executive and Certified Management Consultant M Zakir Hossain has recently held a productive discussion with the Ministry of Power of Kenya and the secretary general of the International Energy Agency at the 9th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency, said a press release on Thursday.

The event that took place in Nairobi in May 21-22 marks the first of this type of conference in Africa, underscoring the IEA's strengthened collaboration with Kenya, now an Association country of the IEA, the release said.

'The discussions cantered on how Bangladesh can leverage the latest advancements in energy efficiency technology showcased at the summit. Mr Zakir's participation highlights Young Consultants' commitment to global energy efficiency initiatives and represents a significant opportunity for Bangladesh to adopt new technologies and best practices emerging from the conference,' it read.

'As Bangladesh aims to expand its economy fivefold, the country's energy demand is expected to increase substantially. In response, the Bangladeshi government with assistance of Japan has developed the "Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP) 2023," outlining medium- and long-term policies to establish a low-carbon, decarbonized society,' it said.

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[Saif]

Gas discovered in Kailashtila well no-8 in Sylhet

Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) has discovered new gas in Well No-8 of Kailashtila Gas Field in Sylhet. Officials of Sylhet Gas Fields Limited (SGFL) revealed this on Friday after the excavation work. With the new discovery, gas has been found in four wells

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Gas discovered in Kailashtila well no-8 in Sylhet
BSS
Published :
May 24, 2024 21:54
Updated :
May 24, 2024 21:54

Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) has discovered new gas in Well No-8 of Kailashtila Gas Field in Sylhet.

Officials of Sylhet Gas Fields Limited (SGFL) revealed this on Friday after the excavation work.

With the new discovery, gas has been found in four wells of Sylhet in the last seven months, SGFL Managing Director Mizanur Rahman confirmed.

He said since January last year, Bapex started the digging in well no-8 of Kailashtila Gas Field.

Mizanur said gas has been found at a depth of 3,440 feet to 55,000 feet and now 21 million cubic feet of gas is being extracted daily from the field on experimental basis.

He hoped that they would be able to go to operation in full swing within next three months.

According to officials concerned, the SGFL authorities have been continuing the exploration and drilling of wells in Sylhet since last year. As a part of that, the excavation work in Kailashtila well no-8 started in early 2023 spending about Tk 1.5 billion.

About 100 million cubic feet of gas is now being added to the national grid from the production wells of Sylhet Gasfield Limited.​

 

[Saif]

Govt to allocate Tk 350bn in power subsidy for FY25

The government is going to allocate Tk 350 billion as a subsidy for the power sector in the upcoming national budget to settle capacity charges and other bills owed to private electricity producers, officials said. The rising debt burden to private electricity producers, including Independent Powe

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Govt to allocate Tk 350bn in power subsidy for FY25
FHM HUMAYAN KABIR
Published :
May 26, 2024 00:00
Updated :
May 26, 2024 00:00

The government is going to allocate Tk 350 billion as a subsidy for the power sector in the upcoming national budget to settle capacity charges and other bills owed to private electricity producers, officials said.

The rising debt burden to private electricity producers, including Independent Power Producers (IPPs), requires this huge budgetary allocation, according to the officials.

The Ministry of Finance has finalised the national budget for the next fiscal year (FY) 2024-25, due for announcement on June 6, an official said.

The power subsidy will mainly be used to clear outstanding bills owed to IPPs that supply electricity to the national grid every month.

A senior finance ministry official said Tk 350 billion has been earmarked in the upcoming budget to pay the outstanding electricity bills owed to power producers.

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[Saif]

Threats to energy security

THE daily demand for natural gas at present in our country is around 3,880 million cubic feet. The daily supply, however, is approximately 3,056mmcf, leading to a daily deficit of roughly 824mmcf...

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Threats to energy security
Ghulam Muhammed Quader 27 May, 2024, 00:00

| — Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

THE daily demand for natural gas at present in our country is around 3,880 million cubic feet. The daily supply, however, is approximately 3,056mmcf, leading to a daily deficit of roughly 824mmcf.

The sector-wise deficit is as follows: Electricity: 452.65mmcf, industry: 197.52mmcf, households: 82.3mmcf, fertilizer: 57.61mmcf, compressed natural gas: 24.69mmcf and commercial: 8.23mmcf, resulting in a 21.21 per cent shortfall across sectors.

Two floating storage and regasification units, FSRU, are now used for receiving liquefied natural gas from imported ships and putting it into our gas supply system. Liquefied natural gas is unloaded from ships into these FSRUs, each with a capacity of 500mmcf.

Therefore, to import more liquefied natural gas, the number of FSRUs and their facilities would need to be increased. Additionally, the national grid's pipeline has not been equipped to handle more than 1,000mmcf. As a result, it is currently not feasible to import additional liquefied natural gas and supply it to the national grid. Moreover, establishing these facilities is time-consuming.

The average per year import cost for the four financial years from 2018–19 to 2021–22 amounts to Tk 21,416.75 crore. If the current deficit of 824mmcf were to be met through imports, the cost would nearly double the current expenditure on liquefied natural gas import, given that currently 1,041mmcf are imported.

However, it is evident that the government lacks the financial capacity to address this shortfall. Furthermore, even if additional liquefied natural gas were imported, technical constraints such as the lack of existing facilities would hinder its unloading and supply to the national grid.

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[Saif]

High import duties barrier to renewable energy sector: Dr Atiur

Favourable tax policy for the growth of the renewable energy sector is pivotal for realising the prime minister’s vision of sourcing 40 per cent of the country’s energy need from renewable sources, said Dr Atiur Rahman, former governor of Bangladesh Bank. The high import duties and tax

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High import duties barrier to renewable energy sector: Dr Atiur
Removing duties and taxes may reduce the cost of installing solar systems by 8-11pc

Favourable tax policy for the growth of the renewable energy sector is pivotal for realising the prime minister's vision of sourcing 40 per cent of the country's energy need from renewable sources, said Dr Atiur Rahman, former governor of Bangladesh Bank.

The high import duties and taxes currently imposed on input solar energy systems are creating a serious barrier, he said.

The former central bank governor and also an emeritus professor of the University of Dhaka Dr Atiur Rahman said this on Monday while chairing a pre-budget seminar titled 'Favorable tax policies for renewable energy sector in the National Budget'.

The panel discussants in the session organised by Unnayan Shamannay were BIBM Faculty Member and green finance expert- Khondker Morshed Millat, Director of the Institute of Energy, University of Dhaka- Dr Nasif Shams, and internationally acclaimed renewable energy entrepreneur Dipal C Barua.

Representatives from think tanks and civil society organisations along with media professionals and renewable energy sector stakeholders participated in the discussion session, says a media release.

Dr Atiur further pointed out that removing the duties and taxes imposed on inputs such as solar inverters and solar panels may reduce the cost of installing solar system by 8 to 11 per cent.

Considering these, he believes, these taxes and duties should be completely removed or at least significantly reduced in the coming National Budget with the intention of promoting solar energy in Bangladesh.

Khondker Morshed Millat added that without the right set of tax incentives solar energy entrepreneurs will not be able to capitalise on the available green finance from commercial banks and NBFIs.

Tax incentives must be ensured to reduce prices of solar energy systems which in turn will increase the demand for solar energy in Bangladesh to a significant extent, said Dr Nasif Shams.

He further added that with the desired level of increase in demand for solar energy, local entrepreneurs may even be interested to produce the said inputs domestically.

Products imported for renewable energy must not be equated with other imports, said Dipal C Barua.

While the government may lose some revenue by exempting all duties and taxes on solar energy-related imports, the possible reduction in fossil fuel expenses due to the expansion of solar energy will much higher- he added.​

 

[Saif]

Renewable energy will save 5,000 MW power: Saber

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury on Saturday said that if the country's agricultural irrigation pumps are converted to renewable energy, it could save 5,000 megawatts of electricity. The minister made the remarks at 2nd Dhaka Renewable Energy Financing Talk o

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Renewable energy will save 5,000 MW power: Saber
Published :
Jun 01, 2024 23:21
Updated :
Jun 01, 2024 23:21

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury on Saturday said that if the country's agricultural irrigation pumps are converted to renewable energy, it could save 5,000 megawatts of electricity.

The minister made the remarks at 2nd Dhaka Renewable Energy Financing Talk organised by Change Initiative at the Bangabandhu Military Museum in the capital today, BSS reports citing press release.

Aiming to combat climate change and promote sustainable development, the government is committed to increasing the production and use of renewable energy, he said.

As part of implementing a green, clean, and climate-resilient economy, the government is working to reduce reliance on coal for electricity production and encourage the use of renewable energy, he added.

Due to limited land availability, initiatives are being taken to install floating solar panels on ponds or water bodies for fish farming underneath or to place solar panels on rooftops, the minister said.

The minister further said: "We are encouraging the private sector to invest in renewable energy projects. The government has set a goal to produce 40 per cent of our electricity from renewable sources by 2041. This goal is crucial for ensuring energy security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability."

Highlighting the need for cooperation across all sectors of society to achieve this vision, Saber said that investment in renewable energy infrastructure and technology, including solar, wind, biomass, and hydropower, is essential.

"To attract both domestic and international investors, we must create a supportive environment with financial incentives and transparency," he added.

The minister said that renewable energy not only reduces carbon emissions but also creates employment, improves public health, and enhances the quality of life.

He stressed the importance of innovative financial instruments in this transformation, such as green bonds, climate funds, and public-private partnerships.

He said:"We expect grants, not loans, from the developed world. The role of research and development in this sector is highly significant. By building strong partnerships and taking bold steps, we can make renewable energy the cornerstone of our nation's progress and prosperity."

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[Saif]

Capacity payments feared to mount significantly

The government's capacity payments to private gas-fired power plants are feared to surge significantly for its failure to purchase power due to gas crisis. Sources said five new facilities with the total generation capacity of 2,673 megawatt have either completed construction or are nearing comple

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Capacity payments feared to mount significantly
M AZIZUR RAHMAN
Published :
Jun 02, 2024 00:28
Updated :
Jun 02, 2024 00:28

The government's capacity payments to private gas-fired power plants are feared to surge significantly for its failure to purchase power due to gas crisis.

Sources said five new facilities with the total generation capacity of 2,673 megawatt have either completed construction or are nearing completion to initiate test runs and then come into operation.

Of the plants, two are owned by the private sector and three by the public sector.

The plants include a 718-MW Reliance-JERA joint venture (JV) gas-fired power plant and 590-MW Anwara Power Plant of the local United Group.

The JV between India's Reliance Power and Japan's JERA has completed construction of its power plants and now carrying out test runs.

Anwara 590 MW Power Plant of United Group has almost completed constructions, said sources.

Two public-sector plants - 156MW Ghorashal 3rd Unit and 409MW Ghorashal 4th Unit - remained idle after completing work due to inadequate gas, according to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).

Another publicly-owned 800MW Rupsa Power Plant has completed around 80 per cent of the work.

The BPDB has already started counting capacity payments on new plants as it often fails to buy power from Summit's Meghnaghat 583MW and Unique Meghnaghat's 584MW plants.

Although the duo have started commercial operation recently, the BPDB very rarely keep them operational at one go due to gas crisis and bottlenecks in power transmission systems.

The recent liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification setback caused from the cyclone Remal has aggravated the gas supply crisis.

The Summit LNG Terminal, which was hit by a stray broken floating pontoon at Moheshkhali in the Bay of Bengal during the cyclone, is now shut, said a senior Petrobangla official.

Dozens of gas-fired plants are now kept idle due to gas crisis and the BPDB has been counting capacity payment on them.

Amid the already surplus generation capacity and limitations in power transmission infrastructure, energy experts warn that this will exacerbate the burden of capacity charges on consumers.

The government paid a total of around Tk 1.05 trillion as capacity payments to power plant owners up to August 2023, according to state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid.

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[Saif]

ISA to support Bangladesh in solar energy

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) will provide technical support to Bangladesh to pull in financing for the renewable energy sector. We'll help Bangladesh find a right policy to introduce a right business model for investment in the solar power sector, ISA Director General Ajay Mathur has...

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ISA to support Bangladesh in solar energy
Published: February 24, 2023 21:05:54

File photo used for representational purposeFile photo used for representational purpose

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) will provide technical support to Bangladesh to pull in financing for the renewable energy sector. "We'll help Bangladesh find a right policy to introduce a right business model for investment in the solar power sector," ISA Director General Ajay Mathur has said. He said this while addressing a press briefing in Dhaka Thursday, reports Xinhua.

The ISA is an alliance based on an intergovernmental treaty whose primary objective is to work for efficient consumption of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

The remarks came following Bangladesh's signing of a strategic country partnership agreement with the ISA to accelerate the development of solar energy.

Power secretary Habinur Rahman and Mathur signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.

The ISA chief said that land scarcity and a right technological solution have been the biggest challenges to the government in achieving a target of generating 40 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2041.

"Options like floating solar could be an ideal solution for Bangladesh ... We'll be working to find innovative ideas," he said.

Rahman noted that a total of eight projects were to be implemented under the agreement with the ISA.

These include installations of 12 trolley-mounted portable solar irrigation systems of about 2kW capacity, 12c portable solar paddy threshers of about 2kW capacity, two rooftop solar projects with a capacity of 22kW, a solar cold storage for preservation of agricultural produce, the development of a rooftop project at Chattogram or any other railway station, the installation of a floating solar project in Gazipur and Munshiganj.

Conversion of two manually operated sluice gates to floating solar-powered auto sluice gates in two sites under the Bangladesh Water Development Board is also included in the agreement.​

 

[Saif]

Gas supplies unlikely to normalise this month

Overall, Petrobangla can currently supply around 2,600 mmcfd against a demand of 3,800 mmcfd.

www.thedailystar.net

Gas supplies unlikely to normalise this month
Damaged FSRU of Summit will require repairs abroad

Photo: Summit Group
Gas supplies are unlikely to increase this month as a damaged floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) owned by Summit Group will require repairs abroad, said the company yesterday.

"The Summit LNG Terminal is expected to return to Bangladesh after repairs, hopefully within three weeks," read the Summit statement.

It said, according to assessments by Bureau Veritas, certification societies and international inspectors, the vessel was now ready to discharge all onboard liquefied natural gas (LNG) before proceeding to a dry dock in either Singapore or the Middle East for necessary repairs.

While Cyclone Remal was raging last month, a broken stray steel structure weighing hundreds of tonnes struck the Summit LNG Terminal, causing significant damage, the statement reads.

"The impact sheared the vessel's outer hull, approximately one metre below the waterline, leading to water ingress into the ballast tanks," it said.

"Despite the severe monsoon conditions, the crew, operators, and owners of the vessel, along with the Summit team, worked tirelessly day and night to secure the vessel and its LNG cargo," it said.

"Their bravery and relentless efforts successfully prevented the loss of the cargo," it added.

"This unfortunate incident was mitigated by the grace of Almighty and the hard work of Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL), customer Petrobangla, the Summit LNG team, our port service operator PSA Marine, and the vessel provider Excelerate," it said.

"Due to their diligence, a major accident was averted," it further added.

Bangladesh avails gas from two FSRU having a total capacity to supply 1,100 million cubic feet of gas a day (mmcfd). The accident reduced the supply to 600 mmcfd.

Overall, Petrobangla can currently supply around 2,600 mmcfd against a demand of 3,800 mmcfd.

The FSRU only resumed operations in mid-April after undergoing maintenance in Singapore for two and a half months.​

 

[Saif]

Higher non-operating income: State-run energy companies deviating from business norm

TITAS Gas Transmission & Distribution Company's profit grew at 27 per cent year-on-year for the October-December quarter of the FY23, mainly riding on non-operating income. Its non-operating income was Tk 674.89 million in the quarter while operating income was Tk 543.66 million. The...

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Higher non-operating income: State-run energy companies deviating from business norm
Mohammad Mufazzal | Published: February 26, 2023 08:48:49

TITAS Gas Transmission & Distribution Company's profit grew at 27 per cent year-on-year for the October-December quarter of the FY23, mainly riding on non-operating income.

Its non-operating income was Tk 674.89 million in the quarter while operating income was Tk 543.66 million.

The non-operating income of another listed state-run company Padma Oil was almost four times its operating income for the second quarter of the ongoing fiscal year.

Like TITAS Gas and Padma Oil, non-operating incomes far outstripped operating incomes of other state-owned fuel and power companies, hence comprising a bigger pie of the net profits earned.

This is not a new trend perceived only in FY23. Rather, the financial data of the last five years reveals that the state-owned energy companies heavily rely upon income generated beyond their business operations to maintain their profit growth.

Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (Desco) is, however, an exception with operating income higher than interest income.

In cases, non-operating income kept companies from going into the red. For example, Except Eastern Lubricants Blenders reported operating loss in FY22 and FY20, but both the years saw hefty non-operating income of the company helping it to gain a profit.

A former director general of Power Cell, BD Rahmatullah was surprised when informed that the state-run energy companies had recorded higher income from outside the business operations year after year.

"Interest income is not part of the business of state-owned energy companies. It's not rational because the companies' income remains blocked," Mr. Rahmatullah said.

The government had hiked energy prices time to time, he said, which should have been reflected in the operating income. "These companies are supposed to roll out the money to boost services," Mr. Rahmatullah said.

Save Eastern Lubricants, the rest of the companies have not issued stock dividend for a long time.

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[Saif]

Exploiting benefits of solar air conditioners

The market of hybrid solar air conditioner is growing globally. As the world turns hotter, the demand for air conditioners has also gone up in Bangladesh along with other tropical countries. With the constant revision of power prices (upward) in the country, electricity bills have become a major he

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Exploiting benefits of solar air conditioners
SYED MANSUR HASHIM
Published :
Jun 07, 2024 22:59
Updated :
Jun 07, 2024 23:00

— Collected

The market of hybrid solar air conditioner is growing globally. As the world turns hotter, the demand for air conditioners has also gone up in Bangladesh along with other tropical countries. With the constant revision of power prices (upward) in the country, electricity bills have become a major headache for most people. There is a desperate need for a more affordable solution to energy consumption at not just household, but also commercial and industrial level. Rooftop solar panels are increasingly becoming visible at factory-level, but there is great potential for expanding that idea to all urban centres where a sizeable portion of the working population lives.

With easier terms of payments made possible through zero interest instalment payments, the middle class in Bangladesh (the largest consumer section) are rushing to buy air conditioners. Inverter-type split air conditioners promise to save a lot of electricity from non-inverter types, but the fact remains that in an import-driven, fossil-fuel powered energy sector, utility bills will inevitably be itching upward every year. This has given rise to technological innovation which calls for a hybrid air conditioner design, which is being developed and increasingly utilised by power-hungry, highly populated economies like China, India, etc. Indeed, market data suggest that given proper regulatory incentives, tax breaks on import of key components, the global market for such air conditioners could be worth as much as US$500 million by 2025.

The system is a combination of traditional air conditioning type (split-type) with solar panels in an effort to reduce both energy consumption and environmental impact. The Asia-Pacific region will be the focal point of this growth because of the large concentration of people living in the region that smarts under high temperatures practically throughout the year. Challenges faced by the market include higher initial costs and limited awareness among consumers. Regulatory and legal factors specific to market conditions include government policies promoting renewable energy adoption and regulations for energy efficiency standards. Overall, the market of hybrid solar air conditioner shows promising growth potential with the right support and innovation.

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[Saif]

Power gets a third of Tk 108,240cr subsidies

More than a third of the subsidies allocated in the new budget is for the power sector due to what experts say is the huge spending on capacity charges.

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Power gets a third of Tk 108,240cr subsidies
Capacity charges may take up most of it

More than a third of the subsidies allocated in the new budget is for the power sector due to what experts say is the huge spending on capacity charges.

The large sum of subsidy has raised eyebrows as the government increased electricity prices several times since January last year.

Currently, the power generation capacity is around 26,000 megawatts while the highest generation was recorded at 16,477MW on April 30 this year.

Finance Minister AH Mahmood Ali in his budget speech said 27 power plants with a combined capacity of 9,144MW were being constructed.

All sectors combined, subsidy allocation for the fiscal 2024-25 is Tk 108,240 crore, of which the power sector will get Tk 40,000 crore, or 37 percent of the total.

In the current fiscal year, the power sector got Tk 35,000 crore of the total Tk 106,897 crore subsidy.

For many years before 2021-22, subsidies for the sector used to be between Tk 7,000 crore and Tk 9,000 crore.

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[Saif]

Power Grid gets large sums as govt prioritises transmission, distribution

In Bangladesh, the power generation capacity increased to 30,277 megawatts in 2023-24 from 4,942 MW in 2009, said Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali in his budget speech.

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Power Grid gets large sums as govt prioritises transmission, distribution

Around a third of the budgetary allocation set aside for the power division is going to the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) as the government plans to make the most of installed generation capacity by expanding grids and making some of the existing facilities smart.

The finance minister has set aside Tk 29,230 crore for the power division for 2024-25, down 13 percent year-on-year. PGCB will get Tk 10,634 crore.

Coal Power Generation Company of Bangladesh, which is implementing the Matarbari power plant in Cox's Bazar, received the second-highest allocation.

Centring the power plant project, PGCB is implementing several projects in Chattogram, upgrading grids. It has received Tk 1,500 crore to carry out the tasks.

The Barapukuria-Bogura-Kaliakair 400kv project has been given Tk 2,356 crore and the power evacuation facilities project Tk 646 crore.

Among the PGCB's schemes, the highest Tk 3,555 crore has been earmarked for the Power Network Strengthening project, which started in 2016.

In Bangladesh, the power generation capacity increased to 30,277 megawatts in 2023-24 from 4,942 MW in 2009, said Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali in his budget speech.

Currently, 27 plants with a combined capacity of 9,144 MWs are under construction. Most of them are in the private sector.

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[Saif]

The absurdity of subsidies in power sector

Squandering of funds in the name of capacity charges must stop

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The absurdity of subsidies in power sector
Squandering of funds in the name of capacity charges must stop

VISUAL: STAR

In a frustrating if predictable move, the government has once again allocated a third of the budget for subsidies to the power sector, an overwhelming majority of which will be used to pay off capacity charges. It seems no amount of expert logic, public outrage, or even IMF prescriptions can discourage the government from wasting public funds on paying private power plants to sit idle. It has already spent more than Tk 1 lakh crore in capacity charges over the last 14 years. Research by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) reveals that capacity payments have skyrocketed from Tk 5,600 crore in 2017-18 to a staggering Tk 32,000 crore in the outgoing fiscal year, accounting for a whopping 81 percent of total subsidies in the power sector.

Instead of bringing down capacity charges as a matter of priority, the government is constructing an additional 27 power plants, which can only translate to a further increase in capacity charges in the coming year(s). What's more outrageous is that the government has decided to raise power tariffs three to four times a year apparently to lower subsidies over the next three years. Electricity prices were raised by 8.5 percent in February this year, and thrice by 5 percent each last year. Why is the public being asked to pay higher prices in the name of reducing subsidies when, in fact, the government is increasing subsidy allocation in the power sector—from 32 percent of the total allocation last year to 37 percent in the proposed budget?

As always, it is the people who are being unfairly tasked with absorbing the burden of chronic mismanagement, collusion, and corruption in the power sector. This is simply unacceptable, particularly given that the government does not seem to be taking any visible steps to address the root causes of high production costs—a lack of transparency and accountability in awarding contracts, overreliance on expensive imported fuels, and neglecting domestic gas exploration and renewable energy sources. Subsidies make sense when they ensure cheaper and more accessible services and amenities to the public, not when they prop up big business groups at enormous cost to the country and ordinary citizens.

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[Saif]

PM reiterates Bangladesh's interest to import hydroelectricity from Bhutan

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today sought investment from Bhutan in the special economic zone in Bangladesh for investors from the Himalayan country

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PM reiterates Bangladesh's interest to import hydroelectricity from Bhutan

Photo: PID

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today sought investment from Bhutan in the special economic zone in Bangladesh for investors from the Himalayan country.

She emphasised proper use of the SEZ allotted to Bhutan in Kurigram and hoped Bhutan would set up industries there, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

She made the remarks when Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay paid a courtesy call on her at the ITC Maurya New Delhi this afternoon.

Both Hasina and Tobgay are in Delhi to attend the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as India's prime minister.

Hasina reiterated Bangladesh's eagerness to import hydroelectricity from Bhutan through India and pointed out that a tripartite agreement was required with India, said Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud.

"Tobgay conveyed to Hasina that Bhutan is eagerly waiting to export hydroelectricity to Bangladesh," Mahmud said.​

"Both the countries have reiterated their commitment to enhancing the existing multifaceted relations," he said.