Wrong decisions led to power crisis

Making wrong decisions or taking no concrete decision in time in the past has resulted in the current energy crisis, they said at a discussion on 'Energy: Sustainable access for all' organised by the Consumers' Association of Bangladesh (CAB) in the city.

Speaking as the chief guest, State Minister for Power Iqbal Hasan Mahumd admitted that the higher officials of the power sector were mainly responsible for the mismanagement of electricity supply.

He also blamed the consumers for misusing electricity in their daily life.

Presenting a keynote paper, Prof M Nurul Islam of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) said, "If we analyse the power situation critically and objectively, we shall see that the power shortage during 2005-06 has resulted from wrong decisions."

The demand for gas projected for the period of 2001 and 2005 by the Gas System Development Plan in 1996 and Petrobangla in 2001 did not match, leading to the gas shortage at the end of 2005, he said.

"The infrastructure of gas system was built on the basis of the demand projection, but the practical use was much more," said Prof Nurul Islam, also director of the Institute of Appropriate Technology of Buet.

On the other hand, the GDP growth rate that was projected in the last quarter of 90's was practically much higher after 2000, which also led to the increase in demand for energy in 2005, he noted.

State Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud said the government cannot be a business body; rather there should be a public-private partnership in the power sector.

"So, we are going to float shares of Desco (Dhaka Electricity Supply Company) and PGCB (Power Grid Company Bangladesh) in the capital market soon," he said.

He also said the government is thinking of supplying pre-paid meters free of cost and encouraging the use of CLF bulbs to ensure the efficient use of electricity.

Urging the businessmen to use generators in the peak hours, the state minister said 1500 MW electricity is needed to meet only four or five hours' demand during a day. "This requires a huge investment, and the cost of electricity will be much more for the extra 1500MW electricity."

MA Momen, president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, called on the government to offer incentives to private entrepreneurs in the renewable energy sector in the next budget.

Syeda Rizwana Hassan, director of Bangladesh Environment Lawyers' Association (Bela), and Dewan Sultan Ahmed, vice-president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, also spoke.

CAB General Secretary Kazi Faruk moderated the discussion chaired by its President Borhan Ahmed.