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Power outage [load-shedding] back across country

Govt must come out of short-term rental power policy
Published: 00:05, May 11,2017

THE government’s policy on the purchase of electricity from rental power plants — which has been in place for quite some years now and is set to roll further — has proved to be a double-edged sword because of the government’s negligence towards the implementation of mid- and long-term power projects, which, fully implemented, could have afforded some relief.

And the policy cuts the consumers most, having to pay in increased power tariff, and the government less, as it does not seem to feel the pinch, while it lines the pocket of the politically powerful people who run the plants.

The policy has also come to be a drain on the national exchequer as the government has already paid 20 rental power plants, during their original contract tenure since 2010, Tk 60 billion and is set to pay 15 of them that have their contract tenures extended Tk 20 billion more in capacity charge till 2020.

The capacity charge that the rental power suppliers now realise, after having the return on their investment during the original contract tenure, is both illogical and unjustifiably high.

A further extension of the contract tenure with the rental power suppliers, which the government will in all likelihood be forced to effect in view of a tangible progress in its mid- and short-term power projects only after 2024, would compound the situation.

The government, as New Age reported on Wednesday, is almost set to continue buying electricity by paying higher in capacity charge as there is no respite in sight, not until 2024 at least, from rental plants because of the government’s failure to do what it should have done by now.

There is no way out for the government from the grip of short-term rental power supply as 35 per cent of the mid-term projects, which should have been completed by 2015, is, as power board officials are quoted as saying, yet to be implemented. Coupled with this, there has been no significant progress in the implementation of long-term power projects which aim to increase power generation capacity by 13,000MW by 2021. In such a situation when the government claims to be generating 14,000MW of power, consumers are forced to pay higher for power only because less than a fourteenth of the total generation needs to be sourced from the rental plants.

While allegations are rife that this failure of the government in going ahead properly with the mid- and long-term power projects is deliberate, to advantage a handful of the politically powerful people, speculations are also there that the government does not reduce prices of fuel oil used in the power sector, although the prices have been much lower on the international market for two years and a half, as it shores up money from fuel oil to pay for the rental power.

Yet still, the Energy Regulatory Commission increased prices of electricity by 69.25 per cent, up from Tk 3.75 a unit to Tk 6.33, in eight phases between March 2010 and September 2015.

The government must come out of its policy on expensive, short-term rental power and attend to mid- and long-term power projects.


- See more at: http://www.newagebd.net/article/153...term-rental-power-policy#sthash.mAn6OJlj.dpuf
 
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Following news says, electricity crisis reached such a point that people already protesting and going after local office of power distribution. People started to electricity crisis is worse than when had been during past regime yet they have see price increase 12 times during awami regime.

সারাদেশে বিদ্যুতের জন্য হাহাকার, বিক্ষুব্ধ জনতার বিদ্যুৎ অফিসে হামলা-ভাঙচুর


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24 May, 2017

সারাদেশে গত কয়েকদিন ধরে অসহনীয় বিদ্যুৎ সঙ্কট দেখা দিয়েছে। বিশেষ করে গ্রামাঞ্চলে পরিস্থিতি সবচাইতে খারাপ।

এক দিকে অসহনীয় গরম, তার উপর বিদ্যুৎ সংকটের কারণে পরিস্থিতি কোথাও কোথাও মানুষজনকে বিক্ষুব্ধ ও সহিংস করে তুলছে বলেও খবর পাওয়া যাচ্ছে। খবর বিবিসির।


লোডশেডিংয়ের কারণে অতিষ্ঠ হয়ে নোয়াখালীর হাতিয়া উপজেলার বাসিন্দারা বুধবার বিদ্যুতের একটি অফিসে হামলা চালিয়ে ভাংচুর করেছে বলেও খবর আসছে।

দক্ষিণাঞ্চলীয় খুলনার ডুমুরিয়া উপজেলার শাহপুর গ্রামের বাসিন্দা মনিরুজ্জামান নয়ন বলছিলেন, তাদের গ্রামে একটানা এক ঘন্টার বেশি বিদ্যুৎ থাকছে না। লোডশেডিং হচ্ছে, দু ঘন্টা থেকে তিন ঘন্টা পর্যন্ত।

‘সন্ধ্যে সাতটার দিকে দোকানে যখন বেচা-বিক্রির সময়, তখন কারেন্ট যায়, আর আসে গিয়ে দশটার পর। তারপর কিছুক্ষণ থেকে আবার যায়। কোনও কোনওদিন সারারাত ঘুমাতে পারি না’ বলছিলেন নয়ন।

তিনি আরো উল্লেখ করছিলেন, পূর্ববর্তী বিএনপি নেতৃত্বাধীন সরকারের সময় বিদ্যুতের যে অবস্থা ছিল এখন তার চাইতেও অনেক খারাপ।

‘তখন বিদ্যুতের যে দাম ছিল, এখন তার চাইতে দ্বিগুণ দাম দিচ্ছি, কিন্তু লোডশেডিংতো সাথে আছেই’ বলছিলেন মনিরুজ্জামান নয়ন।

http://www.news-bangla.net/newsdetail/detail/200/310871
 
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No respite from power cuts in sight
Power demand estimated at 12,000MW
Updated: 00:26, May 26,2017



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No relief from chronic power cuts is in sight as the government has failed to establish base load power plants, mainly those to run on imported coal.
In a bid to reduce the shortage of power supplies, the government would
continue to rely on the measures like imposing restrictions on the operations of industries and markets and suspension of gas supplies to the CNG filling stations for four to six hours a day, said officials.
State minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid said that only 2,500MW of power would be added to the national supply from coal-fired plants by 2020 against the target of 10,000MW.
‘We are planning to set up a number of LNG-based power plants in the next three years to keep pace with the growing demand for electricity,’ he said.
He also hinted that shortage of power supply would prevail for the next few years.
At a briefing at Bidyut Bhaban, he said that all the power generation utilities were collectively supplying about 8,000MW against a demand for 12,000MW.
He, however, escaped a query why the state-run power utilities were claiming ‘zero’ load shedding in their official documents.
Nasrul Hamid admitted that the government’s claim of increasing power generation capacity to more than 15,000MW was estimated considering the captive plants installed by factory owners for their own consumptions.
He attributed the damage of a tower of Ghorashal-Iswardi 230 kV transmission line, shortage of gas supplies to the power stations and suspension of operation of 10 power plants to the frequent power cuts causing immense sufferings to the people.
He said that the power supply situation would be improved before the month of Ramadan, likely to begin Saturday, as the total power supply capacity would be increased to 10,500MW.
Asked how the utilities would manage the shortfall of 1,500MW against the demand for 12,000MW, he said that the government would ask the high-level power consuming industries like steel and re-rolling mills to keep their operation suspended during peak hours, from 5:30pm to 11:30pm, which would ultimately keep the demand for power within supply capacity.
Nasrul Hamid also said that the power plants which were under maintenance would resume power supply soon as well as the supply of natural gas would be increased to the power stations diverting it from fertiliser factories.
To increase gas supplies to the power stations during peak hours, suspension in gas supplies to the CNG filling stations would also be increased to seven hours from the existing four hours a day during the month of Ramadan.
Staggered weekly market holiday would be strictly followed, he said, adding that the shopping malls and the markets would be asked to suspend business during iftar and tarabih prayer.

- See more at: http://www.newagebd.net/article/16355/no-respite-from-power-cuts-in-sight#sthash.t63yElqM.dpuf
 
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Hospitals flooded with heat-related patients
Manzur H Maswood | Published: 00:14, May 26,2017 | Updated: 00:21, May 26,2017
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Number of child patients increased in Dhaka hospitals as heat related complications are on the rise. This photo was taken at ICDDR,B hospital on Thursday. — Sony Ramany

Hospitals in the capital and elsewhere in the country have been flooded with people suffering from fever, diarrhoea, coughing, pneumonia and other diseases caused by blistering heat.
During visits to the capital’s hospitals on Thursday, New Age found that the number of child patients mostly suffering from fever and diarrhoea increased by up to three times and that there has been a significant increase in the number of elderly people with diarrhoea and fever.
Doctors said that the summer this time unusually increased the number of patients suffering from high viral fever.

They blamed high temperature and humidity, rains at intervals and mosquito menace for the situation.
According to the National Health Crisis Management Centre around 4,000 diarrhoea patients were admitted to different hospitals across the country over the last seven days, up from around 3,000 per week in April.

The situation in 82 upazilas in 20 districts, mostly in Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, were reported to be more severe for which 1,742 medical teams had been sent to these areas, said the centre.

Every day in the past week at least 550 diarrhoea patients took admission at the International Centre
for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, up from the daily intake of 300 in normal times, said ICDDR,B head of hospital Azharul Islam Khan.

Physicians at Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University said that patients with high fever increased over the last couple of days.
They had no data about fever patients.

The Met Office predicted that the heat wave was likely to continue for two to three more days.
Weatherman Arif Hossain said a mild heat wave was sweeping across the Dhaka, Khulna and Barisal divisions and in select areas of Rangpur, Dinajpur, Rajshahi, Pabna, Chandpur, Feni and Cox’s Bazaar.
Arif said temperatures ranging from 36 to 37 degrees Celsius were not so high.
At the root of the problem, he said, is humidity varying between 60 to 90 per cent.
During visit to Dhaka Shishu Hospital on Thursday, New Age saw parents, with children, standing in long queues in the outpatient as well as the emergency departments.

Most of the children were suffering from fever and diarrhoea, said parents.
Dhaka Shishu Hospital doctors said that they treated up to 1,000 patients at the OPD per day in last couple of weeks and that the 644-bed hospital was fully occupied.
DSH’s resident physician Rizwanul Ahsan Bipul said 450 to 550 children, mostly suffering from fever, were treated at the medicine OPD per day in recent weeks.

An anxious father of a two and half year old daughter said that she was suffering from fever with temperatures varying from 104 to 105 degree Fahrenheit since two days ago.
Though doctors advised him to get his child admitted it was not possible due to non-availability of bed, he said.
At the Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s paediatric OPD children were seen crying out of pain Thursday afternoon.
Resident physician Rajesh Majumder said around 450 children with fever and diarrhoea received treatment at the paediatric OPD of DMCH over the last couple of days, up from the usual 200 child patients.
He said around two to three kids were diagnosed with chikungunya every day in last few days.
Both advised parents to give liquid food, fruit juice and oral saline to their children.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University virology professor Saif Ullah Munshi said that the summer this time unusually increased the number of viral fever patients.

- See more at: http://www.newagebd.net/article/163...th-heat-related-patients#sthash.IcfQk5gW.dpuf

PDB: Load-shedding will continue in Ramadan
A woman fans to comfort her wailing child in the insufferable heat made worse by load-shedding in Lalit Mohan Das Lane, Dhaka on May 25, 2017 Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune

Shortage in power generation and heatwave are two main reasons why load-shedding will continue in Ramadan, according to a PDB official.
Load-shedding will continue during the month of Ramadan even though the Power Division has promised the opposite, said an official of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB).

Shortage in power generation and heatwave are the main reasons why load-shedding will continue to disrupt public life, the PDB official told the Dhaka Tribune, seeking anonymity.

In the last few weeks, load-shedding has been a major problem in almost half of the country, especially the southwestern region, even though the Power Division announced that there would be no load-shedding this summer.

Moreover, the Power Division on April 27 said there would be no load-shedding during iftar, sehri and Taraweeh prayers in Ramadan.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid reassured that the situated power supply would go back to normal on Saturday.

“In order to alleviate the gas crisis in power plants, two fertiliser factories and all CNG refuelling stations will remain closed from 5pm to 11pm so gas supply can by diverted to the power plants during that period,” the state minister said during a press conference on Thursday.

He further said initiatives had been taken to control power usage in big industries and shopping malls.

Also Read- Southwestern districts crippled by load-shedding, public life disrupted

“The power plants which were closed for maintenance work will resume operations before Saturday, and we will be able to generate 10,000MW of power. As we estimate the power demand during Ramadan to be about 10,000MW, I believe there will be no major case of load-shedding,” he added.

The state minister said the government was currently meeting the national demand by sharing the current load, not by load-shedding.

But the PDB official said merely generating 10,000MW would not be enough.

“Even if it is possible to generate 10,000MW power in Ramadan, we have to consider the transmission loss, distribution loss and auxiliary use of electricity in power stations. Only 8,500MW will reach the consumers. So load-shedding is inevitable.”

In addition to gas crisis and maintenance work at a number of power stations, storms also disrupted power transmission in the country as transmission lines and towers got damaged.

Recently, the Ashuganj transmission line was damaged by a storm, disrupting supply of 400MW of power to the western region from the eastern region.

The daily national demand for power is currently 12,000MW, but the amount of power generated is a little over 8,500MW. Wednesday saw around 8,600MW of power generated in the country.

Private solar power parks will take toll on public
Published: 22:13, May 19,2017

IT IS alarming that although solar power would cost up to 17 US cents a unit in Bangladesh against prices in the 2.4–10 cent ranges in other countries, the Power Development Board signed power purchase agreements with three private companies — Southern Solar Power, HDFC SinPower and EDISUN-Power Point & Haor Bangla-Korea Green Energy Ltd — in February 2016–January 2017 to buy solar power for 17 cents, or Tk 13.6, a unit for 20 years.

A comparison of this with the country’s average power generation cost now shows how the price of this solar power would hit hard the masses when the supply would begin in 2018. The country’s average power generation cost now stands at 6.88 cents, or Tk 5.5, a kilowatt-hour or unit. The latest contract the power board signed with Jules Power Limited on February 9, as New Age reported on Friday, set the price at 13.9 cents a unit. The large-scale solar power projects are awarded or set to be awarded under the Speedy Supply of Power and Energy (Special Provisions) Act 2010 that indemnifies officials concerned against prosecution for awarding contracts without competitive bidding
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Consumers Association of Bangladesh’s apprehension that the government is facilitating profiteering by vested quarters which would ultimately burden people with frequent power price increases is not unjustifiable. Owners of rental power plants have already earned notoriety, particularly for their contribution to the repeated power price increases since 2011, when they came into operation, adding to the sufferings of consumers, already reeling under unabated surge in goods prices.

Now the government has embarked on another project to harm the country’s renewable energy market by allowing some private companies to set up solar parks to sell power to the power board at exorbitantly high prices. Although the solar power project under private companies has been introduced in the name of quick solution to power crisis, the reality says otherwise. Allegations are also rife that this project has come into being in a dubious manner, despite growing public criticism, mostly to benefit the people tied to the ruling party.

The government needs to act on the issue without any delay. It needs to shrug off its bias towards private companies, manifested in its repeated initiatives to extend the life of the controversial speedy supply of power and energy act, enacted in 2010. It also needs to help the power board come out of its fund crisis so that the latter can redouble its efforts to implement the base-load power projects and also explore other renewable sources for immediate development as soon as possible. Above all, conscious citizens need to raise their sustained voice in this regard.

- See more at: http://www.newagebd.net/article/159...will-take-toll-on-public#sthash.O2CbmYus.dpuf
 
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লোডশেডিং হলে বিদ্যুৎ বিল কম আসবে, বিদ্যুতের খরচও কম হবে : প্রধানমন্ত্রী
২৪ মে ২০১৭, ০৭:১৪
ডেস্ক
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লোডশেডিং হলে বিদ্যুৎ বিল কম আসবে এবং বিদ্যুতের খরচও কম হবে বলে মন্তব্য করেছেন প্রধানমন্ত্রী ও সংসদ নেতা শেখ হাসিনা। বুধবার জাতীয় সংসদে নির্ধারিত প্রশ্নোত্তরে জাতীয় পার্টির মুজিবুল হক চুন্নুর প্রশ্নের জবাবে প্রধানমন্ত্রী একথা বলেন।

প্রথানমন্ত্রী বলেন, “আমাদের নির্বাচনী প্রতিশ্রুতি ছিলো ৫ হাজার মেগাওয়াট বিদ্যুৎ উৎপাদনের। কিন্তু এরইমধ্যে ছয় হাজার মেগাওয়াটের বেশি উৎপাদন করা হয়েছে। মানুষ যাতে ভুলে না যায় সেজন্য আমি বিদ্যুৎ বিভাগকে অন্তত দুই ঘণ্টা, সকালে এক ঘণ্টা ও বিকেলে এক ঘণ্টা করে লোডশেডিং রাখার জন্য বলেছি। ” তিনি বলেন, “দেশের সব এলাকায় যাতে আলো জ্বলে সে ব্যবস্থা নেওয়া হচ্ছে। ”

ফজিলাতুন্নেসা ইন্দিরার প্রশ্নের জবাবে সংসদ নেতা বলেন, “বিএনপি যা পারে নাই আমরা তা পেরেছি। ”

একই প্রশ্নের জবাবে তিনি সবাইকে বিদ্যুৎ ব্যবহারে সাশ্রয়ী হওয়ার আহ্বান জানিয়ে বলেন, “নিজের হাতে অফিসের বা বাসার সুইচ বন্ধ করা উচিত। আমি নিজেও এটা করে থাকি। ”
একই প্রশ্নের জবাবে তিনি আরও বলেন, “উৎপাদিত গ্যাস দিয়ে আপাতত শিল্প কারখানা ও বিদ্যুৎ উৎপাদনে গুরুত্ব দেওয়া হচ্ছে। ”
http://dailynabodiganto.com/news/82..._আসবে__বিদ্যুতের_খরচও_কম_হবে_:_প্রধানমন্ত্রী_
 
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PDB: Load-shedding will continue in Ramadan

Shortage in power generation and heatwave are two main reasons why load-shedding will continue in Ramadan, according to a PDB official.
It was
@Comillaboy who was boasting that awami league generated so much power that people were not showering in sweat. Oke goddam lathhi de-oa dorkar ekhon. Or in Comilla language oke khub kore pedanno dorkar.
 
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Dhaka residents reeling under water crisis amid heat wave
'The areas to be covered by the plant are entire Old Dhaka, Mohammadpur, and part of Dhanmondi and Kawran Bazar'
Residents in several parts of Dhaka are facing severe water crisis as Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Dhaka Wasa) failed to adequately supply water all over the city because of lack of proper monitoring and maintenance.

Shahjadpur, Khilkhet, Badda, Bepari Goli of Mogbazar, Basabo, Madartek, Old Dhaka, Azimpur and Mohammadpur are among the areas reeling under the crisis as water supply to the places either has been stopped or is too slow to meet the daily needs.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, residents in the areas said they had not got adequate water supply from Dhaka Wasa in the last one month.

Mousumi Akhter, a resident of Shahjadpur, said water crisis, combined with the summer heat, was seriously affecting their everyday lives.

“The excruciating heat wave is making us physically ill, and the shortage of water added to this. We are struggling a lot as we have to walk a long away to collect water from alternative sources and/or buy bottled water which is not always affordable.”

In the last two weeks they got water from Wasa for a few minutes only around midnight, and in the daytime they did not get a drop of water, she claimed.

“What will we do if this continues to happen during the month of Ramadan?” Moushumi asked.

Echoing her, Md Sabbir Ahmed of Basabo said they were, too, facing the irregularity of water supply.

Annoyed with the Dhaka Wasa’s setbacks in resolving water-logging and water crisis, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sayeed Khokon recently remarked it had become a “failed” institution.

Seeking anonymity, a Dhaka Wasa official said: “The onus to resolve water crisis in Dhaka’ southern part lies with DSCC.”

Citing frequent power cuts as one of the reasons, he pinned the blame partly on Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (Desa) as it fails to provide electricity as required to keep their generators operational.

“We have around 250 generators as an alternative energy source during load-shedding. But many are lying dysfunctional as nearly half of them were procured before 1996,” the official said, conceding their incapacity to resolve the crisis alone.

Denying the objections, Dhaka Wasa Managing Director Taqsem A Khan, however, said: “I am not informed of water shortage in the areas. However, few problems might occur in certain areas for some unsuspected reasons. Such problems are common and may occur all the year round.

“I will ask the Wasa officials concerned to take steps to resolve water crisis problems, if any.” He assured that they would provide uninterrupted water supply during the Ramadan.

Padma Water Treatment Plant
Around 40% of work of Padma Water Treatment Plant at Jasholdia point of Munshiganj has been completed, and the Wasa is hopeful that project will be completed by December next year, officials told a press briefing at Jashaldia on Thursday.

Taqsem Khan said: “The areas to be covered by the plant are entire Old Dhaka, Mohammadpur, and part of Dhanmondi and Kawran Bazar.”

http://www.dhakatribune.com/banglad...esidents-reeling-water-crisis-amid-heat-wave/
 
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No respite from power cuts in sight
Power demand estimated at 12,000MW
Updated: 00:26, May 26,2017
I wish BNP-Jamaat Gong had built power stations with a combined installed capacity of at least 6,000 mW. It failed to do so and we are suffering. Do you really agree with my honest opinion?
 
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I wish BNP-Jamaat Gong had built power stations with a combined installed capacity of at least 6,000 mW. It failed to do so and we are suffering. Do you really agree with my honest opinion?

How much capacity did BNP add in total anyway under their last admin? Do you have a figure?
 
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How much capacity did BNP add in total anyway under their last admin? Do you have a figure?

BNP, during its last 5 year term, did not build a single power plant and so did not add a single watt to the distribution line. However, BNP's lady managed to spend 20,000crore Taka that gave Khamba erection business to her son, Kokko throughout the country, as if these can produce electricity.
 
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BNP, during its last 5 year term, did not build a single power plant and so did not add a single watt to the distribution line. However, BNP's lady managed to spend 20,000crore Taka that gave Khamba erection business to her son, Kokko throughout the country, as if these can produce electricity.
Awami League formed the Government in 2009, before assuming power , the actual installed capacity was 5823 MW.

As of June 2010, in FY 2009–2010, BPDB had a total installed capacity of 5823 MW at 88 units (BPDB 3719 MW at 50 units and IPP, SIPP & Rental at 38 units) in power plants located in different parts of the country.

The main fuel used for power generation in BPDB plants is indigenous natural gas. BPDP operations also include projects that utilize renewable power sources including offshore wind power generation. A total of 17,079 GWh gross energy was generated in the public sector power plants operated by BPDB in 2010. In addition, a total of 11,327 GWh of energy was purchased by BPDB from Independent Power Producers (IPP, SIPP & Rental) in the private sector.

The maximum demand served during peak hours was 4698.5 MW on August 20, 2010. The transmission network is 8465 circuit kilometers long comprising 230, 132 and 66 kV lines. The total number of grid sub-stations is 108 and the total capacity is 16,749 MVA as of June 2010.

Detailed Year Wise Power Generation in Bangladesh as under:
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We need to increase our power generation capacity by 3-4 times. This should be one of the priorities.
 
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It was
@Comillaboy who was boasting that awami league generated so much power that people were not showering in sweat. Oke goddam lathhi de-oa dorkar ekhon. Or in Comilla language oke khub kore pedanno dorkar.

Nah sir you should take a knife and cut my veins. Bangladeshis know Jamatis like you are "Rog Kata Party"

Defend BNP-Jamatis as much as you can as you are Blind but overall Electricity generation and supply are still far better than BNP regime.
 
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BNP, during its last 5 year term, did not build a single power plant and so did not add a single watt to the distribution line. However, BNP's lady managed to spend 20,000crore Taka that gave Khamba erection business to her son, Kokko throughout the country, as if these can produce electricity.
Kindly refrain from posting comments depicting your inadequate knowledge, undertake research first before blabbering. I feel ashamed that you are my fellow countryman.
power.PNG


Yes over the time I am learning their blind affiliation for a certain political party. When you talk about development during their supported BNP regime, they wont have any answer coz all of them are corrupted and "Dour Salauddin"
Same is also applicable to you.

Learn first."Iqra"

What a sheer waste of time responding to your false ignorant accusations, typical BAL illiterate scumbags.
 
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