“We need a proper picture of the loss for not getting power bills and the decline in demand for electricity,” he told the officials of Power Division and its subordinate bodies at a meeting to discuss the progress of the annual development programmes (ADP) through videoconferencing from his home on Monday, said a press release.
The state minister advised the officials that the Power Division can negotiate with the Finance Ministry and donor agencies to get support. “The World Bank has already expressed its interest to extend its support,” he said.
He said the revenue requirements for implementing the ongoing projects and other reserve cost could be communicated with the Finance Ministry on an emergency basis to overcome the existing situation.
Nasrul Hamid advised the officials to continue their work by maintaining health guidelines against the backdrop of Covid-19.
The meeting was informed that the Power Division has been implementing a total of 106 projects -- 87 with government fund, 11 from donor financing and six with own fund.
It achieved 61.70 percent implementation rate in financial segment while 62.40 percent in civil construction.
The meeting was attended by Power Division Secretary Dr Sultan Ahmed, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Chairman Md Belayet Hossain, Bangladesh Rural Electricity Board (BERB) Chairman Moin Uddin and Power Cell Director General Mohammad Hossain.