Power consumers increase rapidly

Electricity connections have been increasing rapidly due to availability of power across the country, said an official.

The government has been providing electricity connections within the shortest possible time and also encouraging online applications as part of paperless office campaign, added the official.

"We have installed power plants having generation capacity of 25,235 MW and brought nearly 100 percent people under electricity coverage," State Minister for Power, energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid here on Wednesday.

He said currently the number of electricity connections rose to 4.09 crore, which was only 1.08 crore in 2009 and the irrigation connections stood at 4.46 lakh, which was 2.34 lakh in 2009.

"Efficient and time befitting initiatives by the present government also helped the consumers get electricity connections easily," Nasrul said.

He said now the ministry has been working unremittingly for building "Sonar Bangla" as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is pledge-bound to make 'Digital Bangladesh' by ensuring access to power for all citizens by 2021, he added.

According to the ministry sources, the number of power plants rose to 146, of which six are retired, while the number was only 27 in 2009 and the generation capacity reached 25,235 MW (including captive) which was 4,942 MW (including captive) in 2009.

As it is the right of consumers to get better services, the government has to deliver better services to consumer's doorstep, said the sources.

Director General of Power Cell engineer Mohammad Hossain said access to quality and reliable electricity is no more a dream as the country's 99.5 percent people are now getting power, which was only 47 percent before 2009.

The ministry sources said the government has allocated Taka 28,056 crore in 2021-2022 financial year in the Annual Development Programme (ADP), which was only Taka 2,677 crore in 2008-2009.

Recently, a "Customer Satisfaction Survey" report was published by Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company (IIFC) mentioning that 88 percent of consumers were satisfied with the electricity services. But the government wants 100 percent customer satisfaction.

The survey, conducted on a total number of 1,400 customers, shows that 94 percent of consumers are happy with the services they receive in getting power connection and 77 percent said they were happy receiving services after filing complaints.

Besides, 95 percent of customers were happy with billing services and 88 percent with metering. As many as 88 percent said they were happy with the overall services in the sector.