500 MW more power 'to come' from India

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said Bangladesh will start importing 100 megawatts more electricity from Tripura, India by February next.

 

Bangladesh is now importing 500 megawatts of power from India, he told Parliament replying to a starred question from Jasad MP AKM Rezaul Karim Tansen (Bogra-4) on Wednesday, reports UNB.

 

Nasrul said it will be possible to start importing 500 megawatt more electricity from India through Bahrampur-Bheramara point by July 2018.

 

The government has set a target to import 15 percent electricity against the country's total demand. Bangladesh is being benefited importing electricity at relatively cheaper prices, he added.

 

In reply to Awami League MP Nazrul Islam Babu (Narayanganj-2), the state minister said as many as 22,201 villages have already been brought under electricity coverage across the country, while 55,496 other villages are being brought under power coverage in phases.

 

There are some 1.36 crore clients of Palli Bidyut Samity across the country, he said.

 

Responding to a starred question from Jasod MP Lutfa Taher (Women Seat-40), the junior minister said legal actions were taken against some 400 officials and employees of the power sectors in the last five years for their involvement in illegal activities.

 

Of them, 1836 officials and 181 employees of Palli Bidyut Samity, while 27 officials and three employees of Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board, he noted.