Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan has said that electricity connections in flood-affected areas have been shut down to prevent accidents.
He said a damage assessment has already been done and electricity connections will be restored once the water recedes.
The adviser said this during a visit to a 35-megawatt solar Spectra Solar Power Plant set up by a private company near Paturia Ghat in Shibalaya upazila of Manikganj district at about 11:30am on Saturday.
He alleged that massive irregularities took place in power and energy sectors during the previous governments' reign. The previous governments used to undertake projects without a competitive bidding as per a law framed in 2010. Through this initiatives, the projects were awarded to the 'influential people closed to the government.' They used to hike gas and electricity prices at their whims. Their objective was to buy electricity at lower prices through various irregularities and then sell it at higher prices to customers on various pleas.
The adviser also said that unreasonable increases in electricity and fuel prices will no longer happen in the country.
On the first day of taking responsibility, he stopped the future application of the 2010 law and abolished the provision that allowed the government to raise prices.
Going forward, opportunities for project assignments will be based on competition rather than favouritism.
Manikganj deputy commissioner Rehena Akter, Spectra Solar Power Plant chairman Engineer Aftab Uddin Khan Bacchu, Manikganj Power Grid's executive engineer Gias Uddin and Shibalaya Upazila Nirbahi Officer, among others, were present.
