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How much power does Bangladesh require?

i heard they removed overhead cables in Gulshan. I'm not sure though.

Apparently cable operators were told to use underground lines long ago but they have not, because they were not forced to and because they have to incur a nominal fee. However things are ongoing now.

Dhaka is beyond saving bro. They did try it in some sectors of Uttara and other newer parts of the city, but I don't think anyone can untangle the wires in old parts of Dhaka.

I know things look hopeless in some parts, but all countries in Asia went through these growing pains. Look at Shenzhen - which in parts looks really dense, but in parts looks better than NYC.

It will take time.
 
Good to see you back bd_4_ever bhai

Good to be back too!

The cable situation was solved in sylhet and it looks totally different now. However Dhaka city cooperation is extremely corrupt, expect the cables to keep hanging

Dhaka is beyond saving bro. They did try it in some sectors of Uttara and other newer parts of the city, but I don't think anyone can untangle the wires in old parts of Dhaka.

Ya I mean old Dhaka is a gone case. But they should fix the wirings in atleast the 'posh' areas, starting from Banani to Baridhara. I mean, Dhaka is slowly getting into shape. Metro rail and bus lines will come in. We need to fix issues in other domains and not just transportation to make it more livable.
 
To get back into the subject of the thread (power consumption demand in Bangladesh), there are very credible estimates that Bangladesh will end up having massive power demand which will surge to the level of 40,000 MW in 2030. It is a four-fold increase from the current level.

Thermal coal-based electricity generation is expected to satisfy 50 percent of this forecasted demand. His Excellency Mr. Tanaka (Japanese envoy in Bangladesh) envisioned that the Matarbari plant could eventually incorporate a coal center to service other coal-fired power plants and even a construction of a LNG terminal. According to the Power System Master Plan, Bangladesh will have to depend on increasing LNG imports for meeting a large portion of its future power demand.

Please see report here (page 5),

 
I have to agree with @UKBengali bhai when he says
BD power consumption has increased 3 times in the last 12 years - an average growth rate of 10% per annum.

The current excess power will be used up within a few years and it maybe takes at least 5 years to build a large scale power station from initial decision that one is needed.

Growth in demand is exceeding electricity supply rather quickly in Bangladesh, we have to plan to meet it timely, otherwise we will have serious issues with Electricity supply gap and paucity for industries which no one wants.

Like he says, older power-plants maintenance cost goes up in hyperbolic fashion, and there are many plants in Bangladesh in half-lifecycle situation. Especially rental ones which run on HSD diesel fuel. Many more will be retired by 2030 - I reckon about half.
 
Apparently cable operators were told to use underground lines long ago but they have not, because they were not forced to and because they have to incur a nominal fee. However things are ongoing now.



I know things look hopeless in some parts, but all countries in Asia went through these growing pains. Look at Shenzhen - which in parts looks really dense, but in parts looks better than NYC.

It will take time.

I have said this before but will keep repeating until it bores holes in the skulls of our policymakers:
The only way to save Dhaka is to partially abandon it.

In a nutshell, we need to:
  • Relocate the capital to a small town
  • Ban set up of any new industries in Dhaka City
  • Set up quality schools and universities in areas we want industries to set up shop in (SPEZs, etc.). A big motivator at the moment for people to settle in Dhaka is access to better education for children. Let us just take that bullet out of the chamber.
  • Set up highly planned, self sufficient model cities around the EPZs in partnership with the private sector and top global urban planning consultants. This should include transportation, schooling, entertainment, shopping, hospitals, etc.
  • Digitise all government services and eliminate the need for anyone having to travel to major cities, let alone to Dhaka, to obtain any service.
  • Cut down heavy import duties on cars and instead pass it on to registration fees for Dhaka and Chittagong. This will encourage people to register and keep cars outside of Dhaka/Chittagong and help the automobile manufacturing/assembly industry flourish. We can set up electronic tolling throughout Dhaka and Chittagong cities to discourage cars that are not registered in Dhaka or Chittagong from dwelling there. Also, people willing to relocate and re-register their cars outside Dhaka should be reimbursed the difference in money spent on import duties + registration.
 
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I have said this before but will keep repeating until it bores holes in the skulls of our policymakers:
The only way to save Dhaka is to partially abandon it.

In a nutshell, we need to:
  • Relocate the capital to a small town
  • Ban set up of any new industries in Dhaka City
  • Set up quality schools and universities in areas we want industries to set up shop in (SPEZs, etc.). A big motivator at the moment for people to settle in Dhaka is access to better education for children. Let us just take that bullet out of the chamber.
  • Set up highly planned, self sufficient model cities around the EPZs in partnership with the private sector and top global urban planning consultants. This should include transportation, schooling, entertainment, shopping, hospitals, etc.
  • Digitise all government services and eliminate the need for anyone having to travel to major cities, let alone to Dhaka, to obtain any service.
  • Cut down heavy import duties on cars and instead pass it on to registration fees for Dhaka and Chittagong. This will encourage people to register and keep cars outside of Dhaka/Chittagong and help the automobile manufacturing/assembly industry flourish. We can set up electronic tolling at throughout Dhaka and Chittagong cities to discourage cars that are not registered in Dhaka or Chittagong from dwelling there. Also, people willing to relocate and re-register their cars outside Dhaka should be reimbursed the difference in money spent on import duties + registration.

I'd also humbly add that the newer planned smart cities be public transport and walk-friendly (and bike-friendly) like Amsterdam, with wide, tree-lined avenues and proper zoning and of course humane level of setbacks from the streets (especially for large buildings). Banani and Dhanmondi have turned into unsustainable and unwalkable concrete jungles.

This guy on YouTube has some wonderful thoughts,

 
I just hope that soon they fix this overhead cable problem in the main cities. It is ugly & risky.
It is almost impossible to take the cable lines underground when a city is already very old and hundreds of establishments are there. Dhaka power cable lines are ugly because they are not kept almost straightened by hanging them from the adequately strong steel wire ropes.

As a result, the cables hang directly from the poles and they sag too low with a great vertical curve that almost touches the heads of the pedestrians below.

So, the power cables must be supported by steel wires, also from the poles. I do not think there are any other remedies to polish the ugly image.
 
I have said this before but will keep repeating until it bores holes in the skulls of our policymakers:
The only way to save Dhaka is to partially abandon it.

In a nutshell, we need to:
  • Relocate the capital to a small town
  • Ban set up of any new industries in Dhaka City

Well, this is something that must be done, I never see any factory set up in Jakarta whole my life. We have old industry complex in Pulogadung, North Jakarta, which is near Tanjung Priok port. That is the only industry complex ever existed in Jakarta. Small workshops for small scale business of course are many, but large scale ones have been outside from Jakarta since end of 1980's.

Mostly they set up factories in West Java and East Java, and this is why two largest exports come from this region where West Java is the number one since it is closer to Jakarta. Our textile industry is also centered in West Java.

West Java industry currently is still using Tanjung Priok port, but government is building new port in West Java (Patimban port) and targeted to become the biggest port in Indonesia in 2027, while East Java has already had second busiest port in the country since long time ago.

Jakarta is only for business headquarters, offices, service industry, residential

Today about 55 % new factories comes to outside Java, Java gets 45 %

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