Where power corrupts, generation snaps

The situation eventually turned into a very strong, formidable movement. The local member of parliament wouldn't do anything positive. He also failed miserably to give the movement a political colour holding, as usual, the opposition parties (with pointed reference to Awami League) responsible for instigation. Such an unfortunate stance on his part put fuel to set in an absolute conflagration and waning law and order situation. The end result was police firing and other interventional measures taking human lives. The aggravating situation was somehow contained though belatedly, by the government with commitment to meet the grievances of the people at the earliest. Things thus did calm down preemptively, chances of yet another outburst remaining there.

Coming by the heels of Kansat episode, among others, the incident at Shonir Akhra under Demra police station for electricity and water was yet another embarrassing situation for the government. The residents of the locality without identifying themselves with any political party organised as a strong social entity for seeking redress of their long standing demand on electricity and water. Here too, due to the apparent indifference of the local MP, the situation started deteriorating. At one stage the police and other law enforcing agencies intervened with bullet, killing at least one and inflicting severe injuries to many. Exerting of force of gun here was reportedly done at the instance of the people's representative of the constituency in the Jatiya Sangsad. The gentleman was chased by the mob and manhandled. His first express reaction in the electronic media had been again unfounded accusations against the opposition AL.

Between the two incidents, the nation had reports of other stray ones at different places of the country which are yet to take shape of Kansat or Shonir Akhra. Everywhere the people are raising their voices for electricity, water and gas. At such a moment of crisis, the State Minister for power made a funny revelation that the present difficulties in the power generation sector had been a perpetual phenomenon for the last 35 years of our national independence. Though he didn't tell specifically, such a historical reference could be construed to have been a very frail pretest on the part of the State Minister, failure of his government couldn't, in any manner, be a legacy of the past. Even if he holds it as such what would be his arguments in favour of the failure of the past two BNP governments, one might ask.

The truth has been that inspite of the short-fall in power generation the demand and supply didn't take such a vicious shape in the past as now. It is also equally true that the rate of shortfall has accentuated due to immense corresponding influx of demand. The growth has been enormous but the anticipation on the part of the governments since 1975 has been pitiably poor and erratic. It must be accepted as a stark reality that our planners in the administration machinery of the governments are unable to keep track with the tremendous growth in the industrial, commercial, housing sectors in particular. The rapid mechanisation in the agriculture and communication sectors vis-a-vis the massive strides in technological advances, etc are also not reckoned with in making both short and long term plans.

Alternatively, it could be some sort of enigmatic vision of our policy makers that has been a major stumbling block to a real and tangible development of the power sector. It is no use now blaming the IMF and the donor agencies for belated release of fund. These are all lame excuses which the people will always reject. Instead let us look at the massive revival of the war-ravaged Vietnam which wields today a power generation capacity of 8400 mega watt for a total population of only eight crore. On the other hand, we here in Bangladesh with a total population of 14 crore have a paltry 3600 mega watt capacity to meet our needs. Shall our leaders in the government take lessons from this and many other South-Southeast Asian countries?

The decision-makers are now at their wit's end as to the course they could take to arrest the ever waning situation around power supply across the country. The government is now face to face with a record volume of power shortage. Since the commotion has been mostly in the urban areas it has been decided to curtail at least 300 mw from the rural supplies to divert to cities and towns. The current HSC examination, tremendous rise in temperature and steady supply of water to the urban dwellers have been at the cooling down of the turmoil partially. These are all mere stop got arrangements having no prospect of any tangible solution to the staggering problem. Meantime, there has been a growing realisation among the trade and commerce leaders, economists, intellectuals that only a long-term interventional programme could give some positive results. Concurrently, the replacement of the old power generation plants along with routine maintenance of the comparatively newer ones will have to be done.

In spite of its importance in the national development programme the power sector remains ignored, inter alia, due to bureaucratic red tapes. Projects on enhanced power generation plants are reported to have been lying unattended for months together in the Planning Commission. Besides, the government departments concerned are also unable to take timely decision to keep things moving. The state minister himself laments specifically of mismanagement in the service part of the whole power generation system. He recounts too of his failure to make any addition to the existing capacity due to extreme financial constraints. In his own estimation the situation in the power sector is turning out to be terrible. May 18, 2006 eight power plants at Ashuganj went out of commission due to fire. The grid at Bogra was also reported to have been suspended. For over two and a half years the process for installing 10 small power stations between 10 and 30 mega watts capacity has been going on. Yet the expected decision is not available due to in-house rift of the parties in power as to the award of tenders.

Although the State Minister for Power holds lack of fund responsible for the present crisis, well informed sources believe otherwise. In their opinion the donors do not feel confident to invest in this sector due to extreme corruption. If it was free of corruption there wouldn't be any dirth of local and foreign investors in this sector. The proposed two power generation plants of 120 mw capacity to be installed at Siddhirganj with ADB fund and their direct intervention from tender floating, processing and awarding work to the successful bidders is also allegedly feared to be foiled by some vested interests in the government. The reason has been that there is no scope for any one to mishandle the invested funds!

Mr. Iqbal Hasan Mahmood expressed his apprehension in a recent press conference that the present problem shall not be solved even in next three years. But he hasn't apportioned the liability of corruption and sharing the booties to the people of his ministry and different directorates. Nor we have known if the situation has been beyond his control. He has told us the partial truth. Hopefully, he will tell soon the full and absolute truth.

Kazi Alauddin Ahmed is a management consultant