If elected, BNP will reform energy sector

BNP has come down hard on the government claiming that "people are now paying the price" for the "corruption, suicidal deals and ineffective plans" of the authorities regarding electricity production and distribution.

Addressing a press briefing at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office on Saturday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that the party, if elected, will radically reform the country's existing power and energy sector. 

"The government, so far, has spent some Tk90,000 crore as capacity charges to power plants. It set up and made deals with quick rentals despite there being no need for them.

"The government's only policy is to loot the people, stuff their own pockets and smuggle that wealth abroad," he added.

The main reform proposals made by BNP are as follows – 

* Abolishing the existing Speedy Supply of Power and Energy (Special Provision) (Amendment) Act 2010 and other related laws and provisions 

* Cancellation of all contracts made with quick rental power plants 

* Construction of power plants by fully transparent international tenders

* Medium and long-term plans for setting up power plants, transmission and distribution lines as per demand

* Ensuring proper exploration and extraction of the country's natural and mineral resources

* Training and developing local engineers and power and energy-related organisations using modern technology

* Measures to extract minerals from prospective gas/petroleum sites as well as from the Bay of Bengal

* Exemplary punishment for those involved in corruption and irregularities in this sector

* Fossils to make the country's power and energy sector sustainable and secure

* Gradually reducing fossil fuel dependence and meeting at least 50% of the total demand via renewables, especially hydroelectricity

* Introduce uninterrupted, cheap power supply with baseload power plants