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Despite surplus electricity, contracts of 10 rental power plants extended in four months
Despite surplus electricity generation over supply, the government in the last four months extended the contracts of a total of 10 rental power plants.
Official documents of the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase (CCPP) reveal the latest approval came on March 23 this year for extension of deals for 5 rental power plants. Earlier 4 rental power plants got the approval for contracts extension on January 5 this year and one got approval for extension on December 29 last year.
Although the deals were extended on “No Electricity, No Payment” basis, an allocation of Tk 6,564.08 crore was approved by the CCPP to pay the owners of the rental power plants for their operations.
Also read:Power flow set up from Payra plant to Rampal sub-station
As per the BPDB statistics, the current total electricity generation capacity now stands at 25,514 MW while the supply is about 14,000 MW meaning that the country has an installed surplus capacity of 11,500 MW.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, however, defended the extension of the rental power plants’ contracts saying that the deals were extended for “emergency necessity” to tackle the current situation.
“As there is a gas shortage, we have to run liquid-fuel based rental and quick rental power plants on full capacity to meet the demands," he told UNB.
He also said these plants don’t oblige the government to make 'capacity payment' - i.e. payment for unused electricity, that was the case with some earlier contracts. “As a result, the cost of electricity from these extended rental power plants came down by 30-40 percent from the original cost," Nasrul Hamid said.
The government documents show that of the approved 5 plants in March this year, three belong to Summit Group, one belongs to Dutch-Bangla Group and one to Orion Group.
As per the approval the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will pay Tk 459.98 crore to Summit Group for purchase of electricity from its 40 MW furnace oil–based plant of the Khulna Power Plant, Tk 1295.42 crore to its Khulna Power Company Unit-II Ltd’s 115 MW Goalpara plant, and Tk 1157.52 crore to its Summit Narayanganj Power Limited’s 102 MW Madanganj plant.
'Bangabandhu Live Mango Museum’ to boost mango economy in Chapai
The Chapainawabganj district administration has taken an initiative to transform a mango grove into 'Bangabandhu Live Mango Museum’ in Kansat under Shibganj upazila for the conservation of mango varieties and to expand tourism in the district based on mango.
'Bangabandhu Live Mango Museum’ is being established at Raja’s mango grove, the oldest mango orchard in the mango capital. Mango traders, producers, and locals are very happy about this initiative by the local administration.
According to the local administration, mango is the main cash crop of Chapainawabganj. The economy of this region fully depends on mango production and its price. Mangoes of many varieties including Gopal Bhog, Khirsapati, Fazli, Amrapali, Ashina, Khudi Kirsha, Brindabani, Lakshmanbhog are produced in the district. Meeting local and national demand, businessmen export mangoes to the world market.
Besides conventional and familiar mangoes, many varieties of mangoes are being produced in Chapainawabganj which have sweet taste and flavour. But, due to a lack of marketing and publicity, these mangoes are neglected in the market and mango growers do not get a good price. At one stage, farmers become discouraged to produce these tasty mangoes. As a result, many mangoes become extinct, and many more are on their way to extinction.
The district administration has taken initiative for the conservation of these mangoes through this museum. The district administration has already published an album titled ‘Mangopedia’ naming 100 popular and unpopular mangoes.
Concerned people said construction works of 'Bangabandhu Live Mango Museum’ will be completed within December this year. The construction works of the boundary wall and rest house of the mango museum have already been completed. Other works are going on in full swing.
Thakurgaon van driver's daughter cracks MBBS test, but father has no money for fees
Born to a family of a poor van driver in Thakurgaon, Alpana faced difficult times growing up. Braving all odds though, she managed to crack this year's MBBS admission test.
But the teenager's struggles are unlikely to end soon as her father, Aftabar Rahman, has expressed his inability to fund her medical education -- literally a luxury for even the middle-class in Bangladesh.
"I want to pursue my dream without putting any pressure on my father, who's struggling to make both ends meet. Already, he has done a lot for me and my three siblings," Alpana, a resident of Dharia Belsara village in Baliadangi upazila, told UNB.
Also read: Khulna’s Meem tops them all in MBBS admission test
Dream comes true: Differently abled student gets house in Magura
Babu Mia, a 21-year old physically challenged youth, is a second-year student of the honors course at the History Department in Magura Adrasha College.
The speech impaired with a maimed leg lost his father in a road accident when he was only two-year-old. After the death of his father, his mother with two young kids moved from Jhenaidah to his maternal grandparents’ house in Magura.
But the grandparents and uncles were also financially insolvent which forced his mother to join a garment factory in Narayanganj for their livelihood at one stage. His younger brother Emon started working as a day labourer at Narinda in Dhaka.
Babu had to stay with his grandmother after his mother and brother shifted from Magura. But what an irony of fate! Like his father, his grandmother also died in a road accident last year keeping Babu completely alone.
He became a burden for his uncles. Their families were unwilling to take care of him. His dream to continue his study became pale.
Finding no other way, he collected the phone number of the Prime Minister on his own and sent an SMS telling about his misery.
Kushtia onion farmers struggle with production cost amid falling price
Continuous falling prices of onion in the market is making it difficult for Kushtia farmers to recover the production cost in spite of a good harvest this year.
Wholesale prices of onion was at Tk 15 to 20 per kg while retail price of onion was at Tk 400 to 800 per maund, the UNB reporter saw during a visit to the largest onion market of Kushtia at Ponti in Kumarkhali upazila on Friday.
According to farmers they are getting some Tk 400 to 500 less profit per maund this year compared to the last two years.
According to the Kushtia Agricultural Extension Department, onions have been cultivated in 13,734 hectares of land in the district during this Robi season (October 15 to March 15).
Onion prices started falling immediately after the new harvest arrived in the market as the retail price was at Tk 35 to 40 per Kg just two weeks ago.
Also read; Importers fear losses as Indian onions flood Bangladesh markets
“Production of per Kg onion has cost a farmer some Tk 25 to 35 including the prices of seeds, pesticides, workers, transport. The farmers are counting a loss of Tk 10 to 18 selling the onions at Tk 15 to 17 at the market
Due to good weather some 60 to 80 maunds of onion have been produced per 27,00 square feet of land (1 Bigha) this season, said Faridh Sheikh, a onion farmer from Jotmora village in Kumarkhali Upazila.
MFS transforming money transactions in Bangladesh, soon to cross Tk. 1 trillion
Retired school teacher Sadekul Islam is too happy to get the opportunity of paying electricity bills through mobile financial service from his resident.
Sadekul, has been living in his own house at the city’s Rampura-Banasree.
Until recently the 67-year-old man had to depend on his home security guard to pay utility bills to avoid standing in a long queue outside a specific bank branch.
Sometimes the security guard made mistakes in bills payment as he was illiterate.
But Sadekul’s real trouble began when the guard left the job during the early wave of Covid-19 pandemic.
Also read: BB concerned over security of nearly Tk 10,000 crore tied up in MFS
This, however, led the aging man to learn from a relative how to pay bills through mobile phone services.
Since then he has been happily using the mobile financial service (MFS) to pay utility bills, mobile flexi load, sending money to relatives and receiving, making servant’s dues payment, purchasing medicine and other necessary commodities etc.
During the pandemic , the MFS brought great opportunities for Sadekul, who was able to bring money in his MFS account from banks’ accounts and make payment of necessary bills without any one’s assistance.
“Never before had I thought that life would be so comfortable. It’s so easy to pay the bills through my mobile phone,” said Sadekul, looking relaxed.
Rubina Akter (26), a garments factory worker in Ashulia, has also a similar story of life being made easy by the MFS.
“Earlier I had worry much about how to send money to mother back home,” said Rubina. “Now I send the money through my mobile phone. The money reaches in just minutes.”
She is now getting a salary at her MFS account. Before that she has to spend too much time in the queue for receiving salary and other allowances.
Rubayet Ferdous, owner of a garments factory of Ashulia, told UNB that MFS and digital money transferring system have brought a revolutionary change in workers’ salary payment.
Before the system came, they had to use trucks along with police scouts for carrying cash to pay the monthly salary of several thousands of workers.
Applauding the MFS and digital payment systems, Ferdous said the industrial sector has got relief from a severe hazard of cash money handling, which is now happening within a moment only.
Also read: Nagad wins 'Best Innovative Digital Financial Services Brand' award
According to Bangladesh Bank (BB), the use of mobile financial service (MFS) has gained momentum in Bangladesh and monthly transactions would cross Tk 1.0 trillion (1 lakh crore) soon.
Experts and sector insiders have said the number of transactions in MFS in the country is increasing with the number of customers due to the convenience of instant payment for purchasing and sending money anywhere in the country.
The BB data shows that Mobile Banking transactions increased by Tk. 2210.8 crore or 3.11 percent to Tk. 73393.3 crore in January 2022 as compared to December 2021. During Jul2021-January2022 Mobile Banking transactions increased by Tk 99663.3 crore or 26.63 percent compared to the same period of the last year.
Earlier in May, 2021, Tk 71,247 crore had been transferred through the MFS, which was the highest transition till the last eight months. In December 2021, the transition was made the 3rd record of Tk 71,182 crore.
Former BB governor Dr Atiur Rahman told UNB that monthly mobile banking transactions would cross Tk 1.0 trillion if the current policy support continues.
Dr Atiur, also a pioneer of mobile banking, said this service creates a huge amount of consumption at the macroeconomic level in the country.
Md. Serajul Islam, executive director and BB spokesperson said the central bank is giving priority to build cashless inclusive financial system, where mobile banking is playing vital role.
The BB would continue policy support to expand easy transaction systems like mobile banking and mobile financial service, he said.
This topper wanted to be an engineer!
She has always dreamt of becoming an engineer -- the interest in the field probably grew in her childhood when she used to break toys to find out what was happening inside.
But Khulna's Sumaiya Moslem Meem, this year's medical admission test topper, has now decided to shelve her childhood career ambition and instead pursue the dream of making her parents proud by becoming a doctor.
“Alhamdulillah, by the grace of Allah, I have secured the first position in the medical admission test. My father and mother have contributed a lot to this success,” Meem told UNB. "My parents are my inspiration in life, and I will fulfill their wish by becoming a doctor."
Recounting the sacrifices of her parents, the elated topper said, "Two years ago, they were the ones who took the decision to relocate to Khulna town from our native village in Dumuria upazila so that I could prepare for the MBBS admission test."
Also read: Khulna’s Meem tops them all in MBBS admission test
"My mother had to travel a long distance, from Khulna town to Keshabpur upazila of Jashore, daily for her job. She endured the hardship only for her daughter. By cracking the exams, I have made my parents proud," she said.
Meem also lauded the efforts of all her teachers -- from those who taught her the values of life to those who helped her prepare for the medical admission test.
"My tution teacher Dr Siam deserves a mention. Shamsur Rahman, who taught us in Class V, also inspired me to do something in life. I have made all of them proud today," she said.
Meem secured GPA-5 both in SSC and HSC exams from Dumuria Girls High School and Khulna Government Majid Memorial City College, respectively.
Her humble advice to medical aspirants: “Avoid memorising books. The best thing would be to read between the lines."
Meem’s father Moslem Uddin Sardar, a college teacher, said, “I always knew she would do better. Her mother has contributed a lot to her success.”
Her pharmacist mother added: "Meem wanted to be an engineer. But she changed her decision later to fulfill my dream. We are proud of her."
Also read: Over 55% pass MBBS admission test in Bangladesh
About the future plans, Meem said, “I want to be known as a good human being first and then a good doctor.”
Meem bagged the first place in the MBBS admission test for academic session 2021-22, with a score of 92.5 marks in written test. She scored a total of 292.50 marks.
Crack on embankment cause of concern in Satkhira hamlets
Residents of Ruiarbil village in Satkhira's Ashashuni upazila are living in fear of flooding as a large portion of the embankment along the Kopotakkho river has developed a crack.
Not only Ruiarbil, local people say that as many 19 nearby villages in the upazila could be inundated during this monsoon if the Water Development Board does not take steps to protect the embankment from erosion at the earliest.
Read: Flash floods in Boro-producing areas bodes ill for days ahead
Masum Billah, a resident of Ruiarbil, said they spotted the crack in the 200-feet area of the embankment under Pratapnagar union four days back. "Already Kopotakkho has gobbled up half of the embankment."
On Tuesday, Yanur Rahman, upazila nirbahi officer, visited the affected areas, including Ruairbil, Kurikahania, Subhadrakati, Chakla and Madarbaria villages of the upazila and heard people's grievances. "Proper steps will be taken soon," he told the villagers.
Meanwhile, riverbank erosion has taken a serious turn in Sreepur and Kurikahania villages under Pratapnagar union and Kheyaghat in the Madarbaria area.
Read: Fish trader found dead in Barishal hotel
Nearly 30,000 people of Pratapnagar union living in the riverine areas of the two villages have been spending sleepless nights. Their fears are tangible, with monsoon rains barely a couple of months away.
The embankments along Kopotakkho and Kholpetua rivers were damaged during the cyclonic storms, Amphan and Yaas, which hit the coastal areas of Bangladesh in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
Ashrayan-2: 59 Bede families dream of a new life with permanent homes
“If we get a permanent shelter, we will send our two sons to school,” said Rongila, a Bede woman.
The Bede, a gypsy-like ethnic community is among the most underprivileged and marginalised groups in the country.
Rongila is a mother of two sons – 5-year old Akash and 3-year old Robiul. Her husband, Alauddin, is a monkey and snake charmer.
The four-member Bede family now lives in a ‘Jhupri Ghor’ (a very tiny traditional makeshift abode of Water Gypsy) at Badedihi village under Barabazar Union in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenaidah district as do other Bede families.
The Bede woman has recently shared her dream with this correspondent as her family is going to get a permanent house with a two-decimal land as a gift from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Read: BGB's intervention halts Ashrayan project work in Panchagarh
Like her family, a total of 59 Bede families – 31 families from Badedihi village and 28 families from Kashipur village under Kaliganj municipality-- are going to get the houses in the Ashrayan’s largest Bede housing site adjacent to Majdia Baor at Jagannathpur village under Barabazar Union in Kaliganj.
The Bede families are now dreaming for better life as the house construction works continue on the 2-acre housing site under Ashrayan-2 project of the Prime Minister’s Office.
“We’ve no dignity and no hope for life,” said Rongila, adding that her family leads a poor life with nominal incomes earned by her and her husband.
Hill water of woes drowns paddy fields in Sylhet
Farmers of Sylhet's Companiganj upazila are a worried lot, as their paddy fields have got submerged due to the onrush of hill water for the last two days.
Some 400 bighas of cropland are already under water in Companiganj, according to the upazila agriculture department. And the worst hit are Fuksha Haor, Bhai Kuri, Moter Kuri, Dewar Kar, Kapna Kuri, Daila Haor, Akhai Kuri, Kanglaghati and Daram Haor of the upazila's South Ranikhai Union.
Read: Boro crops go under water in Netrakona
Deputy assistant agriculture officer Pankaj said that though only 50 bighas of paddy land in Ichakals union is under water, the Patharchauli Haor protection dam can breach any time. "A disaster is waiting to happen," he told UNB.
Alamgir Alam, chairman of East Islampur union parishad, said that with the help of locals, "a dam was built in Rauti Haor". "However, the dam breached in strong currents, submerging paddy fields."
Raihan Parvez Rony, upazila agriculture officer, said, "If the flow of hill water continues, all the boro crops in the upazila will be damaged."
Boro has been cultivated across 5,850 hectares of land in the upazila this year, said the officer.
Read: Crops on 12,000ha damaged as norwester lashes Sirajganj
Fakhrul Ahmed, deputy assistant engineer of the Sylhet Water Development Board, said that an 8.561km-long crop protection dam has been constructed at Haor in Companiganj. Although the dam is strong enough, it will be difficult to protect the crops in the area in case of an overflow."
Upazila nirbahi officer Lusikanta Hajong said the low-lying areas were flooded by the sudden onrush of hill water. "However, our crop protection dams are still in the safe zone. A list of affected farmers is being prepared."