Ongoing power cut likely to ease from next week

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmood has said on Monday that the ongoing power cut across the country is expected to ease from next week as the overall power situation improves.

"Load-shedding will fall to around 800-900MW within a week, signalling a significant improvement in electricity supply," the minister said while speaking as the chief guest at the Fourth Bangladesh-China Renewable Energy Forum organised by the Centre for Policy Dialogue in Dhaka.

He said the government is placing special emphasis on renewable energy as a long-term solution to the power crisis. 

"We have set a target to generate 10,000MW of solar power within the next five years," the minister said. Highlighting challenges in the power sector, he said around Tk56,000 crore in dues to power plants remain unpaid. 

"The government is trying to clear the outstanding payments to power plants. Due to these dues, importing coal and oil is difficult. We are trying to clear the payments quickly.

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud said on Monday that the government is planning to utilise unused land owned by the railway and various ministries to address land scarcity.