Over the past 15 and a half years, it appears that the Hasina regime has significantly increased Bangladesh’s electricity production capacity, reaching an impressive 27,791 megawatts.
However, this achievement is overshadowed by the stark reality that less than half of this capacity is currently being utilized.
While the Hasina administration and its allies celebrated the expansion of electricity generation, concerns have been raised about the misuse of public funds, particularly in the establishment of numerous power plants, including quick rental ones.
On Tuesday, two newspapers including a vernacular one reported that as of September 10, 2024, the maximum electricity output on September 10 was a mere 12,869 megawatts while out of 144 power plants, 45 were either fully or partially shut down, leaving millions of citizens in the dark for extended periods each day with some areas experiencing up to 19 hours of power cuts each day. Rural communities, in particular, are bearing the brunt of this crisis, with little relief in sight.
The Power Development Board (PDB) is currently burdened with an overwhelming debt of approximately 79,000 crore taka, including over $1 billion in unpaid bills for electricity imported from India.
This financial strain has left the PDB struggling to repay loans and settle outstanding bills, particularly with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and gas suppliers.
The situation is further complicated by India’s decision to reduce its electricity exports to Bangladesh by 22 per cent, creating additional pressure on an already fragile system. The situation has been exacerbated by technical issues, non-payment of bills, and fuel shortages.
We are all well aware that the deposed Hasina and her cronies turned the entire country into a hub of looting and plundering public funds under the guise of development. Many of their mega projects and power plants were used as tools for kleptocracy.
The root of this crisis lies in a complex web of financial mismanagement and geopolitical challenges. The current crisis is a wake-up call, and the interim government must take swift and effective action to restore stability and confidence in the nation’s energy infrastructure. We must eliminate the legacy of the deposed despot. The sooner, the better.