People living in the Dhaka’s Korail slum get gas, water and electricity through illegal connections set up by different syndicates in league with police and utility service staff. THE DAILY STAR (BANGLADESH)
Bangladesh has made significant progress in access to electricity as its electrification coverage reached 93 per cent, thanks to the stronger political commitment of the Awami League government.
The World Bank in its just-published Energy Progress Report 2019 mentioned that among the countries with the largest population without access to electricity, Bangladesh, Kenya, Myanmar and Sudan have made the most progress.
It said global electrification rate reached 89 per cent; the number of people without electricity access dropped to around 840 million, compared to one billion in 2016 and 1.2 billion in 2010.
But the Awami League government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, achieved tremendous success in the power and energy sector because of its realistic roadmap with an aim to reach power to every household by 2021.
Talking to national news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said access to quality and reliable electricity is no more a dream as 93 per cent of people are now getting power, comapred to only 47 per cent before 2009.
According to power cell data, the power generation capacity of Bangladesh now stands at 21,419MW, with power connections increasing to 33.2 million, while the number of power plants reached 130.
Tracking SDG7
The Energy Progress Report 2019 showed that despite the progress, reaching the remaining unserved people, including those connected to frail and overburdened urban grids, as well as displaced people, and hard-to-reach locations, will be challenging. An estimated 650 million people will be left without electricity access in 2030.
The report tracks global, regional and country progress on the three targets of Sustainable Development Goal-7: access to energy and clean cooking, renewable energy and energy efficiency. It identifies priorities for action and best practices that have proven successful in helping policymakers and development partners understand what is needed to overcome challenges.
Among the least electrified countries, South Sudan, Guinea-Bissau and Central African Republic have been electrified at around three per cent each year since 2010. Cambodia, Afghanistan, and Nepal are currently among the fastest electrifying countries.
Maintaining and extending the pace of progress in all regions and sectors will require stronger political commitment, long-term energy planning, increased private financing and adequate policy and fiscal incentives to spur faster deployment of new technologies, the report underscores. THE DAILY STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
