Though two separate deals were signed with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank about a year ago to install some 17.5 lakh (1.75 million) smart pre-paid metres, the Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company has made little progress in implementing the project. “Only some individual consultants were appointed by Titas Gas PLC. No project management consultant (PMC) has been appointed as yet,” said a senior official of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division. Explaining the significance of the PMC he said has it critical role in implementing a project as it holds the responsibility to plan and design the project. “The main technical aspects remain in the hand of the PMC. Normally one or two foreign companies are appointed as PMC”, he told UNB. Newly appointed Managing Director of the Titas PLC Shahnewaz Parvez also admitted the poor progress of the smart prepaid metre project. He, however, said that the appointment of PMC is under process and hoped that the Titas will be able to appoint the consultant soon. Official sources said Titas Gas signed two separate loan agreements in November last year with the World Bank and ADB to install a total of 17.5 lakh prepaid meters under two projects. On November 23 in 2023, Titas signed a loan agreement with the World Bank for installation of 11 lakh smart prepaid meters under the Gas Sector Efficiency and Carbon Abatement Project. The gas transmission and distribution company also signed another agreement with the Asian Development Bank on November 28 in 2023 for the installation of 6.50 lakh smart prepaid meters under the Smart Metering Energy Efficiency Improvement Project. Read: JS body recommends taking steps to gain prepaid meter consumers’ trust The government had undertaken the smart prepaid metre project for the Titas Gas PLC, to reduce the excessive system loss to a reasonable level. As the oldest and largest gas distribution both in terms of its operational area and volume of natural gas sales among the six gas distribution companies, the Titas Gas has been reeling with 7 percent system loss. Titas Gas officials said the company has to incur a loss of Tk 150-180 crore per month for its system loss. They said the entity can save Tk1,800-2,160 crore a year if such a huge system loss is checked. Titas Gas has so far installed about 3.5 lakh of prepaid gas meters for its household consumers mainly in Dhaka city with the financial support of the Japanese donor agency JICA. Its prepaid meters were installed mainly in Gulshan, Banani, Mohammadpur, Paltan, Ramna, New Market, Khilgaon and Segunbagicha areas. Titas Gas currently supplies gas to over 2.878 million consumers, including some 2.853 million household consumers, 12,078 commercial consumers, 5,429 industrial consumers, 1,755 captive power plants, and 396 CNG stations. As per the official statistics, Titas Gas alone holds 55% of the gas market share, while the other five companies have 45%. Read more: Electricity bills harassments: Postpaid consumers can turn to prepaid meters Its vast operational area covers Dhaka, Manikganj, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Narsingdi, and Mymensingh. It annually sells about 14,459.41 MMCM (million cubic meters) of gas (2021-23 fiscal years), to earn a revenue of Tk26,387.12 crore.

The construction of the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka is set to be completed by October this year, with flight operations expected to begin in early 2025, officials from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) have confirmed. According to CAAB, the third terminal’s construction is in its final stages and is on track to be completed by the October deadline. The Civil Aviation Authority will take over the terminal from the contractor in October, following which the process of scheduling flights from the new terminal will commence early next year. Following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, uncertainty arose over the timely completion of the terminal. However, the interim government soon restored normalcy to the construction process. The striking design of the third terminal building has drawn attention in the project area, with finishing touches underway both inside and outside the facility. Read more: Target set for Dhaka Airport Third Terminal's full functionality by December 2024: CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan, Chairman of CAAB, recently inspected the progress of the third terminal. He directed the officials and workers involved in the project to ensure timely completion with a high standard of work. “About 98% of the work on the third terminal has already been completed, and overall progress is satisfactory. I have instructed those involved to finish the remaining tasks promptly,” Air Vice Marshal Monjur told UNB. “We expect all work to be completed by October. After taking over the terminal from the contractor, we will prepare to launch flight operations.” Consultancy firm Nippon Koei has estimated that around 6,000 skilled workers will be needed for the operation, maintenance, and security of the terminal, with nearly 4,000 of them required for security alone. However, CAAB officials said that it might take a few months to recruit the necessary workforce, meaning the terminal may not be fully operational immediately. Initially, CAAB and Biman Bangladesh Airlines will manage the terminal, with full operations likely to begin in February next year. Once operational, the third terminal will increase Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s passenger handling capacity by an additional 12 million passengers annually. Currently, the airport’s first and second terminals manage between 120 to 130 flights of more than 30 airlines daily, serving around 20,000 passengers. This equates to a capacity of approximately 8 million passengers per year. The new terminal will add 230,000 square meters of space to the airport, featuring 115 check-in counters, 66 departure and 59 arrival immigration desks, and three VIP immigration desks. It will also include 27 baggage screening machines, 40 security scanners, 12 boarding bridges, 16 carousels, and 11 body scanners. The construction project, launched by the government in 2017, began on December 28, 2019, with an estimated cost of Tk 21,398 crore. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is providing Tk 16,141 crore as a loan, with the remaining funds coming from the Bangladesh government. The construction is being carried out by Japan’s Mitsubishi and Fujita and South Korea’s Samsung. CAAB officials noted that once completed, the terminal will accommodate 37 aircraft at a time and feature two high-speed taxiways to reduce waiting times on the runway. Two buildings have also been constructed for import and export cargo operations. A three-story parking facility for 1,350 vehicles is nearing completion. Initially, 12 out of the 26 boarding bridges will be operational, with 15 self-service check-in counters and 10 automated passport control counters available for departing passengers. The terminal has been designed to ensure smooth entry and exit for passengers. It will be connected to the elevated expressway, and airport railway station via a tunnel. Hajj pilgrims will also have a dedicated tunnel from the Ashkona Hajj Camp to the third terminal. Last year, on October 7, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina partially inaugurated the terminal as part of her government’s development efforts ahead of the national elections. At that time, the government had announced that flights would operate from the third terminal by October this year. Read more: Govt will decide on ground handling at Dhaka airport’s third terminal and Biman is ready: CEO

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Technical Cooperation agreement with the Government of Bangladesh on “The Project for Improvement of Management Capacity of Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority” on Monday. The project aims to enhance Chattogram WASA's capacity to improve its service delivery, strategic project planning, and financial management. JICA has a longstanding commitment to collaborating with Bangladesh in the Water Supply and Sanitation sector, especially in Chattogram. JICA to assist govt in preparing power distribution plan for Dhaka The agreement was signed by MIURA Mari, Senior Representative, JICA Bangladesh Office; AKM Shahabuddin, Additional Secretary, Economic Relations Division; Mr. AHM Kamruzzaman, Joint Secretary, Local Government Division, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives; andAKM Fazlullah, Managing Director, Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority. Chattogram city, the second largest city in Bangladesh, with a population of around 7 million, has historically relied heavily on groundwater for drinking water. NCDC launches national guideline on hypertension with JICA’s support JICA's support to Chattogram city began in 2003 with an engineering study in response to the severe drinking water crisis in the city. The initiative identified the need to develop surface water sources and enhance the institutional capacity of Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (CWASA) to address its growing population. Over the years, JICA has supported CWASA in mitigating the water crisis, focusing on water supply capacity development and reducing non-revenue water. JICA’s supported water treatment plants supply 286 million liters daily, meeting about 60 percent of Chattogram city's demand. JICA has also conducted surveys in its sewerage sector. JICA seminar on ‘Private Sector Contribution to the SDGs’ held CWASA's services for safe water supply have improved tremendously.  However, further work is needed to provide more clean water and serve its growing population. The new Technical Cooperation is expected to maximize the benefit of CWASA's services and transform CWASA into a sustainable water sanitation service provider of international standards. This new project for CWASA focuses on improving financial management, water treatment plant operation, non-revenue water reduction, customer communication, and inter-WASA collaboration. Through these the project aims to enhance CWASA's overall management capacity, ensuring sustainable and efficient water services.

In a significant development for Bangladesh’s aviation sector, the country and Japan today signed the exchange of notes of the 44th Official Development Assistance (ODA) yen loan. This crucial funding, amounting to 76,635 million yen (approximately USD 540 million), is earmarked for the expansion of Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA). Is Dhaka ready for a Westeros Winter? The installment will be used for constructing Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s Third International Passenger Terminal, a Cargo Terminal, and associated facilities. The agreement was formalized by Iwama Kiminori, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh, and Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance. This latest installment brings the total of the 44th round of yen loans to a substantial 324,191 million yen (around USD 2.21 billion). A corresponding loan agreement was signed by Yoshida Hiroshi, Senior Representative of JICA's Bangladesh Office, and Shariar Siddiky, emphasizing the commitment to meet the growing aviation demands, enhance airport capacity, improve accessibility, and bolster security. This expansion is anticipated to significantly contribute to Bangladesh’s economic development and regional connectivity. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, at the recent soft opening of Dhaka Airport’s Third Terminal, highlighted the importance of Japanese companies’ involvement in this grand project. Ongoing intensive discussions between the Japanese consortium and airport authorities reinforce Japan’s commitment to fostering Bangladesh’s development through this strategic partnership, aiming for mutual prosperity.  Penalty for code of conduct violation depends on investigation report: EC Sultana The 44th ODA loan package specifically targets the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Expansion Project (Phase III). The terms include an interest rate of 1.30% per annum, with a repayment period of 20 years following a grace period of 10 years, as outlined by the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka. This agreement marks a pivotal step in enhancing Dhaka’s status as a key aviation hub in the region.

There has been no official decision yet on the ground handling work at the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director and CEO Shafiul Azim has said. “The prime minister gave a clear directive during her visit to the airport that the ground handling should be improved, it should be world-class. We have been working to ensure that since then," he said. “Since then, we have been procuring new equipment. We  have already bought new equipment worth Tk 1,000 crore, and a Tk 600-700 crore budget to buy new equipment is in the pipeline. We have recruited manpower as well,” said the national flag carrier CEO. “There are limitations in this too, but we are working day and night,” he said. Also read: 12 boarding bridges will be operational when Dhaka Airport’s 3rd Terminal partially opens this Oct: CAAB A project with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is on, he added.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) yesterday (March 14, 2023) shared stunning photos of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s Terminal 3 on its Facebook page. The photos show the beautifully designed ceiling of the new terminal and construction work going on at the extension site. Read More: Bay terminal likely to start operation in 2026: Khalid  

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed grant agreement with the government for the implementation of the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS). The JDS is a grant aid that will support young promising Bangladeshi officials to acquire skills and knowledge necessary to better serve the public through rigorous research in the relevant master's or doctor’s courses in Japan, according to a press release. Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki, Chief Representative of JICA Bangladesh Office ICHIGUCHI Tomohide, Secretary of Economic Relations Division (ERD) of Finance Ministry Sharifa Khan, , representing the respective governments, signed the Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreement in Dhaka on Wednesday. Up to JPY 476 million (about USD 4 million) will be provided to the government to implement the project. With the signing of G/A, JICA will offer 33 scholarships (30 Masters and 3 Doctoral) to the civil servants of Bangladesh to study in graduate schools of renowned Japanese Universities. Read: Relations with Bangladesh now deeper, more extensive: JICA This program creates an environment where academic exchanges, which include immersion and exposure to various fields, become a tool for strengthening international relations. To date, 492 fellows (477 Master’s and 15 Doctoral Fellows) studied in Japan. This year is the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Bangladesh.  JICA Bangladesh Office believes that JDS will continue to enhance the ever-lasting JapanBangladesh friendship even further.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has sought the cooperation of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to modernise the gas and electricity transmission and distribution systems in the country’s south-western region. He made the call at a meeting with JICA's newly appointed Chief Representative to Bangladesh Tomohide Ichiguchi at the latter’s office at the Secretariat on Wednesday. “After construction of the Padma Bridge, a rapid development is taking place in the south-western part of the country. JICA can play a major role in modernising electricity transmission and distribution systems in the region,”he told Tomohide. During the meeting they discussed various issues related to mutual interest. Welcoming the newly appointed chief representative, Nasrul Hamid said that JICA is one of the main development partners of Bangladesh. He also requested the JICA local chief to extend cooperation to Bangladesh Power Management Institute (BPMI) to make it an international quality training institute for the development of human resources. Read: Relations with Bangladesh now deeper, more extensive: JICA  He observed that a huge investment opportunity has been created in the distribution and transmission sector. He also requested the JICA to conduct a study on local area-based load management and possible power transmission to meet the requirements.  Integrated master plan for energy and power, renewable energy, wind power, change in electricity consumption pattern, energy demand in industry, modernization of power and energy sector, land development of Maheshkhali, gas pipeline installation projects also came up for discussion. The JICA chief representative said, Bangladesh is his old work station. “JICA's will remain with Bangladesh to promote its development. JICA will continue to work for the development of BPMI,”he assured the state minister. JICA outgoing chief representative Yoho Hayakawa was also present on the occasion.

The second stakeholder meeting on the proposed Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP) will be held in the city on Sunday. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR) will jointly hold the meeting. Tokyo-based consulting firm Institute of Energy Economics-Japan (IEEJ) has been engaged to prepare the integrated master plan following an agreement between the Bangladesh government and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), signed on March 15 in 2021. It held the first stakeholder meeting in November 2021 to kickoff its job. Also read: Relations with Bangladesh now deeper, more extensive: JICA According to official sources, the Japanese firm held a series of meetings in the past one-and-a-half years with stakeholders, including energy professionals, academics and also different private and public entities to get their views on the future master plan. About the proposed plan, Power Cell director Mohammad Hossain said that the Japanese firm’s job is now at the concluding stage as it has planned to submit its first final report by December. “This is for the first time that the government has moved to formulate an integrated master plan comprising both power and energy issues," he told UNB. Previously, separate master plans were framed for the power sector and energy sector and there was little coordination between the two sectors. Official sources said the government has moved to formulate the integrated master plan with a focus on the "3E+S" concept, after responding to the suggestions of energy experts. Also read: JICA wants to install Incinerator plants to dispose medical waste According to sources, '3E+S' concept will be pursued in preparing the new plan for ensuring 'Energy Security', 'Economic Efficiency', and 'Environment' while focusing on 'Safety'. As per the contract, the Japanese firm is supposed to formulate the plan within 30 months of the signing of the agreement. JICA, which has been funding the entire project, said that in view of the need for a long-term low-carbon energy policy, it will support the formulation of the master plan. The Japanese donor agency had earlier provided the financial and technical support for formulating all the previous power system master plans (PSMPs) until 2016. Official sources said the JICA consultant will study the country's 8th Five-year Development Plan, gas sector master plan 2017, and revise the power system master plant 2016 and other relevant policies. It will prepare the prospects for economic development and energy demand forecast by 2050 with a focus on energy efficiency and conservation. In the existing power system master plan (PSMP) 2016, about 60,000 MW of power generation was targeted by 2041. The BPDB official data shows the country’s total generation capacity is 25,235 MW, of which grid-connected generation is 22,348 MW up to April this year while the remaining 2,887 MW is captive generation, mainly produced by industry owners, exclusively for running their own industries. The country’s highest generation was recorded at 14,782 MW on April 16, meaning that the surplus capacity is 10,453 MW (about 41 per cent). Currently, 50 per cent of power is being generated from gas while less than 10 per cent is from coal and about 30 per cent is generated from imported liquid fuel.

Senior vice president of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Keiichiro Nakazawa has said Bangladesh is now one of the largest partners among the more than 100 partner countries. “Over the past 50 years, the relationship between JICA and Bangladesh has become deeper and more extensive,” he said while celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-JICA cooperation organized by the Economic Relations Division (ERD) and JICA in a city hotel on Thursday. In the early days of cooperation, Nakazawa said, their focus was mainly on agriculture development. “Today, we are working in almost all sectors.” Also read: JICA wants to install Incinerator plants to dispose medical waste