Power division named for Swadhinata Padak
The power division will receive this year's Swadhinata Padak (Independence Award) for its outstanding job of bringing cent percent of the country under electricity coverage, said power division officials.
Confirming the approval of the award yesterday, Nasrul Hamid, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources ministry, told The Daily Star that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over the award to the division today.
On Monday, the prime minister declared 100 percent electricity coverage after inaugurating the 1320MW coal-fired power plant at Patuakhali's Payra.
"It is power that brings dynamism to our economy. The relentless efforts of the prime minister have made it possible," Nasrul said, adding that the criticisms on different power projects have also helped them attain the milestone.
Another organisation and nine individuals will also be receiving the prestigious award.
According to the amended Independence Award list, six recipients of the award -- Ilias Ahmed Chowdhury, Col Khandoker Nazmul Huda (posthumous), Abdul Jalil, Siraj Uddin Ahmed, Md Sohiuddin Biswas (posthumous), Sirajul Haque (posthumous) -- have been named for their contributions to the 1971 Liberation War.
Dr Kanak Kanti Barua and Dr Md Kamrul Islam will be awarded for their contributions to the medicine sector while Mainul Hossain to architecture.
Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute will be awarded in the research and training category. It will receive the award jointly with the power division, officials said.
The power generation capacity shot up to 25,514 megawatts from 4,942MW in 2009, while the maximum power production rose to 13,792MW, up fourfold from 3,268MW 13 years ago, showed data from the power division.
In 2009, only 47 percent of the population had access to power. Per capita power generation more than doubled to 560 kilowatt-hour from 220 kWh during the period, making frequent power outages a thing of the past.
On March 15, the government issued a notification by picking 10 individuals including Amir Hamza (posthumously) and one institution for this year's Swadhinata Padak.
The name of Hamza, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case, led to various discussions and criticism, and after that, the government dropped it.
Meanwhile, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque has termed the inclusion of Hamza's name in the list a failure of the respective cabinet committee.
"There were mistakes. It's a collective failure and the committee's failure," he said at a press conference on the celebration of 50 years of independence at the Secretariat.
About Hamza's inclusion in the list, he said it was due to false information given by some people.
"They confused us. They will be punished. Since there is a committee, it will take a decision in this regard after a meeting."
He said the government will observe the genocide day, independence and national day and 50 years of independence through seminars, rallies, concerts, laser shows and quiz competitions, between March 25 and March 31. The series of events has been termed "Joy Bangla Joyotshob".