PM provided 1,200 units from own rooftop solar power to the national grid

Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman did not stop at announcements to increase the use of solar power. He has already used 1,000 units from the solar panels on the roof of his home in Gulshan, Dhaka. He has also given 1,200 units to the national grid. State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mr. Mir Shahe Alam shared this.

The State Minister spoke at a review meeting on solar power, dengue prevention and development programmes, held yesterday at the Cooperative Building in Sherebangla Nagar, Dhaka. All Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) and DDs (LG) of the country joined the meeting. Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan and State Minister for Public Administration Mr. Md. Abdul Bari were present.

Mr. Mir Shahe Alam said the Prime Minister set an example by producing and using this much solar power in the last three days. The government will use the roofs of all national buildings, starting with the Cooperative Building, to meet its own needs. These buildings will also give solar power to the government. The State Minister also said power generation should be seen as a business.

Ahead of Durga Puja, the State Minister asked UNOs at the field level to stay alert about the risk of unrest. He said no disorder will be allowed. On law and order, he said UNOs have been ordered to use all their strength to make local government elections free, fair and neutral. The government will give full support in this matter.

The State Minister told the UNOs that poor people of the area ask them for help. He said every UNO needs a discretionary fund. With this fund, UNOs could give poor people instant help of Tk 2,000 to Tk 5,000. If the Ministry of Public Administration cannot provide the money, the Ministry of Local Government will arrange an allocation from its revenue income.

He also said the ministry will sit with the upazila administration to settle the net metering system for electricity. He said important government projects are being carried out at the field level under the care of UNOs. They directly oversee programmes such as the Farmer Card, Family Card, Imam Muazzin Card and canal digging. If UNOs held an annual conference every year like the DC conference, they could directly put upazila development work and demands before the Prime Minister.

Mr. Mir Shahe Alam said the BNP government is a government of the people and believes in women’s empowerment. He said many officers lost their jobs during the autocratic era for following government orders. But the BNP government will not tell anyone to hold the day’s vote at night or to hold a dummy election.

He added that the BNP has started to take action on political matters too. After the Mirpur incident, the North committee was dissolved, and a Member of Parliament was told to resign. The government will not take the personal responsibility of an MP. The State Minister also stressed the need to purify river and pond water to increase the supply of safe water and reduce pressure on groundwater.