ED: Powering up Bangladesh

As Bangladesh grows economically, so does the country’s need for electricity. Bringing the country under 100% electricity coverage is not merely a worthy goal, but a necessity at this juncture in our growth story. 

To that end, it is encouraging to hear State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid affirm that we will achieve our target of power for all by December this year. 

Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) and other distribution companies have been hard at work to achieve this goal on time. Not only is the electricity grid being expanded, areas in the country which are still off-grid will be getting electricity through solar home systems. This is a great step forward for the country, and to meet this goal during a pandemic is all the more remarkable.

It must be noted though, that full electrification is not the end of the journey, but only the beginning of the next chapter. Economic growth, industrialization, urbanization -- all require energy. In fact, for our industries to keep up with the rapidly changing global business environment, we will need more energy than ever before.

At the same time, while the climate change crisis looms, we must act responsibly. Even though Bangladesh is a relatively low per capita emitter compared to richer nations, there is no reason for us not to be setting a positive example by moving more towards clean, renewable sources of energy, such as wind and solar. 

As we raise the living standards of the people of Bangladesh, we must continuously think of sustainability and the environment. With tech for renewable energy advancing rapidly, generating power and protecting the planet need not be mutually exclusive endeavours.