ADB set to provide solar, wind-run combined power plants to BD

Dhaka—Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide its newly innovated solar- and wind-run combined power plants to Bangladesh for the country’s power generation.This was disclosed by visiting ADB Vice President Xiaoyu Zhao when he called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office in Dhaka Sunday.

The ADB will provide two units of their new generation power plants to Bangladesh, which will be set up in the country’s remote areas as pilot project. The ADB offer of the renewable energy plants came as Bangladesh is reeling under severe power cuts.

After the meeting, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told journalists that the ADB has further assured Sheikh Hasina about the fund it committed for the Padma Bridge. The Prime Minister told the ADB official that her government is committed to realizing its vision of a ‘Digital Bangladesh’ and turning it into a middle income country by 2021, the golden jubilee year of the country’s independence.

She said the Padma Bridge is expected to give new momentum to economic activities of Bangladesh’s south and southwestern region and will open up a new horizon for socioeconomic development of the area prone to natural calamity. Referring to the proposed deep sea port, Hasina said Bangladesh will allow its neighbors including China and India to use the port which will eventually bring benefit to the entire region.

She said the present democratic government attached due priority to establishing rule of law and promoting good governance in the country. Besides, the Prime Minister mentioned another thrust area for the government to encourage Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in materializing development efforts of Bangladesh.

She also said policy, strategy and guidelines of PPP have already been published in the official gazette and a new office for this will be established shortly under the Prime Minister’s Office. Hasina thanked the ADB for being a responsive and conscious development partner of Bangladesh since it became a member of ADB in 1973. She requested ADB’s assistance to Bangladesh for the development of infrastructure, power, transport, ports, river dredging and urban development for sustaining higher GDP growth rate.—APP