The State Minister for Power and Electricity, Nasrul Hamid, has informed that users owe the state nearly Tk 54 billion in arrears on electricity bills nationwide.
In response to a question posed by Jatiya Party MP Salma Islam to the minister on Wednesday, Hamid added, “A list of the customers in default is being prepared for the recovery of the arrears. Legal measures and procedures are being set in place to initiate and carry out the recovery of the debts.”
Additionally, in response to a question put forward by Enamul Haque MP, the minister stated that since the present government came to power in the year 2009, seventy-three more power generating plants were set up.
The minister also informed that currently 27 power generation stations are under construction. He explained that of the 27 stations under construction, 14 are publicly controlled and 13 are under the control of the private sector.
He informed that the current daily need of gas stands at 500 million cubic feet.
He said, “Even though the last seven years have seen a significant increase in the production and supply of gas nationwide, there is still a persisting deficit of nearly 500 million cubic feet.”
He said, “The project by the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board has created access to power for nearly 1.2 million consumers. It is hoped that by December 2017 the number of subscribers having access to electricity will increase.”
Discussing industrial developments, the Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu informed that “work to convert the manufacturing process from a wet one to a dry one is underway at the Chattak Cement Factory. The process is to see its beginning in July later this year.”
The minister added, “The fiscal year 2015-2016 has seen a 90 percent rise in exports of all sorts of electrical equipment, starting from televisions to transformers, to a variety of circuitry, refrigeration works, and electrical switches. All in all, nearly 11 million dollars in revenue was generated during this fiscal period.”
These products are exported to many countries including Austria , Australia , Germany , Canada, the Netherlands , Ireland , Switzerland , China , the United States , Italy , Norway and New Zealand.