Lights turning on in Payra region
Patuakhali's Rangabali upazila, a coalition of 22 small islands in the Bay, did not have access to electricity just a year ago.
Families there used to light up their houses with solar panels and traditional forms of lighting such as kerosene lamps and candles.
However, as soon as modern submarine cables provided all six unions of the upazila with electricity in last September, the situation started to change.
Idris Ali Sardar, 70, of the upazila's Baherchar Bazar area, said, "I never thought I would have access to electricity in my lifetime."
He also delightedly shared how his grandchildren now studied under electric lights at night.
Like Idris, some 25,000 consumers are now getting benefits from the electricity in the upazila that is around 40km away from Patuakhali Sadar.
Rangabali, an upazila that got recognition on February 25, 2012, is surrounded by the Bay in its south, the Agunmukho river in the north, the Buragauranga river in the east and the Rabnabad river in the west.
According to officials, a 33kV-5.80km submarine cable was installed under the Tetulia and the Buragauranga rivers and another 5.38km cable of 11kV was set under the Galachipa and the Tetulia rivers to provide the local communities with electricity.
The lines were connected with the mainland from Bhola district's Charfasion Mujibnagar substation through Amgachiya Bazar and 2km under the Buragauranga river.
Tawfiq Omar, officer-in-charge of Rangabali sub-zonal office of Palli Biddut Samity, said at least a 1,000km transmission line was set up at Rangabali's four unions with a power sub-station while the consumers of the lines are now over 25,000 in 104 villages.
Engineer Md Mainuddin Ahmad, deputy general manager of Galachipa Zonal Office of PBS, said it was like a "war" to get the project done.
"PBS conducted the job by the contractors. But it was a pandemic situation while we were working. The weather was against us and so was the environment. We needed the support of locals," he said.
With remote areas like Rangabali, Bangladesh is now providing 100 percent electricity coverage, according to the officials of the Ministry of Energy, Power and Mineral Resources.
Explaining the claim of 100 percent electrification, they said they provided connections to all of those who applied for it.
This achievement puts Bangladesh ahead of India and Pakistan, among the countries in South Asia that have brought 98 percent and 74 percent electricity networks respectively.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the 1,320 MW ultra-supercritical coal-based power plant at Patuakhali's Payra today at 10:00am where she could announce the achievement, said Nasrul Hamid, state minister for energy ministry.
Visiting the upazila on Saturday, this correspondent found at least six electronics shops in Baherchar area, the main bazar.
Bani Yamin, one of the shop owners, said they sell two to three refrigerators every day and they have sold at least 300 fridges of different brands since their union got electricity connection last September.
In the shop, Yamin sells electric products like refrigerator, ceiling fan, oven, electric stove, cooker and blender.
Not only such shops but also two auto rice mills have been in operation in the area since September. One of the mills is located at Baherchar.
Abdullah, the chief of labourers at the mill, said he worked for 37 years in different rice mills in Cox's Bazar.
"I am from Patuakhali and took no time to come and join here after coming to know that a mill would be established here," he said.
He said 14 employees including five females now work at his mill.
A total of six ice mills were set up in the upazila and pharmacies started keeping necessary medicines in refrigerators.
The locals, however, said they are not getting electricity for a major portion of the day.
They said the solar panels could provide electricity for a major portion of the time.
"We get only six to seven hours of electricity now, which is quite upsetting. There are instances when power remained off for two to three days," said locals, demanding an uninterrupted electricity supply.
Tawfiq Omar said the interruption in the power supply happens because of some work of the roads and highways department.
"We need to stop the supply from morning to noon every alternative day. Otherwise, we need to work on new lines, that's why people face some problems," he added.
Comments