The Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), which is entrusted with power grid operation, awarded the contract to KEC to build the 214- km long high tension transmission line from Meghnahgat of Narayanganj to Madunaghat of Chattagram.

As per the contract, the Indian firm will build the double circuit transmission line within next 34 months at a contract value of Tk 1,734 crore on a turnkey basis.

This would be the longest transmission line in the country in terms of contract value and time as well, said a top official of the PGCB.

A press release of PGCB mentioned that the organisation signed a contract with the KEC on Thursday to award it the contract.

It said this would be the main transmission line between Dhaka and Chattagram which will improve the power transmission capacity and bring different benefits to the power system including reduction of system loss.       

Currently, power is being transmitted between Dhaka and Chattagram through a 230 kV and 132 kV transmission lines.

PGCB officials said the biggest benefit will be that this transmission line will facilitate power transmission from the proposed 1200 MW Matarbari power plant in Cox’s Bazar to Dhaka.

They informed that PGCB has undertaken the project with financial support from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

 Bangladesh government and PGCB also funded the project under the Dhaka-Chattgram Main Power Grid Strengthening Project, they added.

PGCB company secretary Ashraf Hossain and KEC country director Kuldeep Kumar Sinha signed the contract on behalf of their respective sides.

PGCB managing director Masum Al Beruni, executive directors Emdadul Islam, Safayet Hossain, Khondaker Abdul Hai, project director Yakub Ali, KEC chief manager Kishore Talekar and Deepak Yadav were also present on the occasion.