Power Crisis Annoys Nation

Series of human rights violations are continuing in Bangladesh by members of Rapid Action Battalion [RAB] under silent instigation or even state patronization. Although to me, at least, few months back it was just an allegation, now it is more than reality.

In Bangladesh the country's total power generation is now about 4,100 MW while the demand is 3,900 MW. But as of Thursday, various power plants remained shut due to technical glitches or maintenance work. As a result, load-shedding hovered around 856 MW yesterday, 867 MW a day before and so on. The demand for electricity is expected to increase during the summer months.

Everyday, international media is getting heavy with negative reports on the existing power crisis in Bangladesh, which will for sure discourage the potential foreign investors from choosing this country as their next place of investment.

Although the present interim government repeatedly alleged that the previous BNP led Islamist Coalition government did nothing in adding even a single mega watt to the National Grid, they too have failed in doing anything positive in this regard during the past sixteen months of tenure. Rather, the former Energy Advisor Tapan Chowdhury reportedly did everything possible on his part in screwing up the minimum possibility of improving the power generation system, as he wanted to make sure those private companies involving in power generation business, including a number owned by his family business concern.

It may be recalled here that, during BNP-Islamist rule, Bangladesh witnessed massive outrage in a rural part of the country due to massive power shortage. But, now, the situation has even worsened. The capital itself is under ´load shedding´ for hour everyday, thus hampering the normal businesses as well as industrial production of the country. Due to such failures, most of the business establishments in Bangladesh are rather compelled to absolutely depend on generators, which are increasing the cost of establishment, while the country is already under an acute economic crisis since the present interim government came in power in January 2007. On the other hand, there is no good news from the government, although it was greatly expected that the present government would take some urgent measures in resolving the existing power crisis in Bangladesh.

Talking to Weekly Blitz, a senior diplomat from a donor country commented that power crisis is one of the major issues the present government needed to attend several months back. But, due to their lack of experience as well as no commitment to the nation, this problem has remained unattended thus finally pushing the entire nation into serious sufferings. The source further said that, if any drastic policy is not taken by the present government in resolving the crisis, Bangladesh may finally end up in seeing a large number of foreign investors wrapping up their projects from this country.

It is learnt from many sources that the only option left with Bangladesh in resolving the power crisis is to establish a nuclear power generation plant, which will not only resolve the present shortage but even may add significant amount of electricity for the nation to absorb in other sectors. According to reports, the most potential nation to supply such plant at the most affordable cost is Israel, a country with which Bangladesh continues to seize any relations in order to appease Islamists. Moreover, Bangladeshi governments have been moved with serious anti Semitic notions for decades. Founding leader of the country, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a close friend of Yasir Arafat, while the subsequent leaders in Dhaka also maintained the same trend of being a good friend of the Palestinian terror kingpin. Although in past years, a large number of Muslim nations, including Pakistan have lifted travel ban on Israel and Saudi Arabia has also started business relations with the only democratic nation in the Arab world, Bangladesh never pays any importance in removing the existing travel ban on Israel or in shifting from its anti-Semitic notions to a neutral position.

Experts even opine that, Israel could be one of the best sources for Bangladesh in addressing the present food shortage, as Israeli agro technology helped India´s West Bengal in increasing their food production to three folds just in couple of years.

But Dhaka is in dilemma in making a decision on national interest of establishing relations with Israel. The key reason behind such attitude of Bangladesh is because all the previous governments as well as the present military backed interim government are greatly inclined in appeasing Islamists through various actions and initiatives. Even secular political parties like Bangladesh Awami League shook hands with ultra radical Khelafat Majlish and singed a treaty before the postponed election in 2007 of establishing Shariah law in Bangladesh if Awami League was voted in power by the people of the country. Such decision opened the real face of Awami League which was always hiding under the garb of secularism.

Till date it is undecided as to whether the Bangladesh government will make a strong decision in lifting existing travel ban on Israel and open the windows of broad based cooperation between Dhaka and Jerusalem, which will undoubtedly help Bangladesh in resolving the acute power shortage as well as food crisis.