Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Sunday said the ‘problem’ of the high cost power generation with rental power plants will get minimised to a great extent over the next two years.
Addressing a meeting with the business community at the Metropolitan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), the minister said various agreements on power generation are going to be signed and the power generation capacity of the country will hit 19,000 MW within the next few years.However, rental power plants will not be completely removed by the next two years, he added. Muhith noted that the government is largely counting on coal-based power generation in the coming days.
As there are some serious concerns over the open pit coal mining, including the effects on the local population and the groundwater condition, the power generation will rely on the import of coals for the time being, the minister said.
Muhith also mentioned that the government is hopeful about opening five new special economic zones (SEZs) by the end of its tenure. The government wants to assure the investors that having lands for industrial purpose will be no problem at all, he said.
Huge lands under government institutions across the country that are lying idle have already been identified with an aim to facilitate the setting up of industries, the Finance Minister said.
Speaking on the occasion, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu said the government is giving priorities to land development for industrial purpose.
The government is looking forward to setting up economic zones at district levels, he said.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed stressed the need for the diversification of products to remain competitive in the global market.
The meeting was held with MCCI president Rokia Afzal Rahman in the chair. – UNB
