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Power Outage

MPs blast state minister, adviser

Staff Correspondent
A number of ruling alliance lawmakers yesterday blasted the state minister for power and the prime minister's adviser in the sector for failure to resolve power crisis as people across the country are suffering from power outage.
They also voiced 'grave' concern over the possible damage to the agriculture sector for want of power causing disorder in irrigation.
The lawmakers even said they
will not accept any excuse from the ministry or the adviser on the power outage as the government is expending Tk 20,000 crore as subsidy to generate power.
"And now you [the state minister and the adviser] have to deliver service. We will react seriously if things go otherwise," Mayeen Uddin Khan Badal, MR of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal said in parliament on a point of order.
Ruling Awami League lawmaker
Imajuddin Pramanik demanded that the government deploy army to ensure irrigation in the northern region, which, according to him, meets the major portion of the country's annual rice demand.
It took almost over an hour as a total of nine MPs vented their annoyance over the power situation on point of order.
All the MPs taking floor said they cannot say anything as people in their respective constituencies ask them when the power situation will improve.
"I am going to my constituency tonight with a deep sense of sorrow in my mind as I will have to tell people again that the situation will be alright when they will ask me about the outage," commented veteran AL lawmaker Tofail Ahmed.
While speaking on point of order, a number of MPs enquired the state minister for power about the amount of power his ministry had generated in the last three years.
"The government is saying that around 3,500 megawatt power has been generated in its tenure. Then where is that power? Why the whole country is suffering from power outage?" Fazle Rabbi Mia launched the blistering attack.
Taking floor on a point of order, Rabbi demanded that the state minister for power came up with a formal statement in the House to clarify where the 3,500 MW power has been and is being used.
"You have to answer why there is load-shedding in the country," Rabbi, also chief of the parliamentary body on law ministry, said.
AL lawmaker Sadhan Chandra Majumder said farmers of his constituency get power only from 2:00am to 6:00am which is very inadequate for irrigation.
"The condition of paddy fields in my area is worsening day by day for want of irrigation," he added.
As other MPs queued in raising their hands seeking permission to speak on point of order, Col (retd) Shawkat Ali who was presiding over the sitting at that time was seen apparently discouraging them.
"I think all of you have raised hands to speak on power outage, but the issue has already been discussed,” Shawkat said.
Another AL legislator ABM Anwarul Haq from Manikganj said irrigation in his constituency is in a very bad shape due to power shortage.
"Last year I could restrain angry farmers of my area from attacking a local power station. But I don't know what will happen this year," Haq said.
Shahiduzzaman Sarkar, another AL lawmaker, said crops of his constituency are dying for want of irrigation.
Imajuddin said 30,000 acres of cropland in his constituency needs 7 MW power for irrigation, but the authorities are supplying only 2 MW.
AL lawmaker Dhirendra Chandra and Jatiya Party MP Mujib-ul-Haque also spoke on the issue.