Power Minister Welcomes Chinese Investment, President Urges Winrock International to Expand Operations in Bangladesh
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Mr. Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku has welcomed a Chinese company’s proposal to establish a factory in Bangladesh to manufacture digital electricity and gas meters and other equipment, while President Mr. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has urged Winrock International to expand its development activities in the country.
Mr. Tuku made the remarks when an eight-member delegation of Chinese technology and consultancy firms met him at the Secretariat yesterday to discuss investment opportunities, smart meter technology and future cooperation in the power sector.
The delegation included Mr. Senhui Zhang, CEO and board director of Shenzhen Kaifa Technology (Chengdu) Company Limited, which has proposed setting up a factory to manufacture digital meters for domestic use and export. The minister welcomed the proposal but advised the company to submit its investment plan through Invest Bangladesh.
The discussions also covered progress on the project to install seven lakh smart meters for power distribution companies and opportunities to expand Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) in Bangladesh.
In a letter, Kaifa said it was working on the smart meter installation project and expressed interest in expanding its operations through future investment. The company manufactures smart electricity, water and gas meters and supplies battery energy storage systems, communication technology and meter data management solutions.
Kaifa said its experience in supplying and installing smart meters in the Middle East, Europe and other regions would enable it to establish a manufacturing facility in Bangladesh and export meters to international markets under the “Made in Bangladesh” label.
Smart meters digitally record electricity consumption, while AMI enables communication between meters and central management systems, helping utilities analyse consumption data, manage meters and improve distribution efficiency.
Meanwhile, President Mr. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called on Winrock International to expand its work in Bangladesh, particularly in agricultural development, safe migration, combating human trafficking and climate resilience.
He made the call yesterday at Bangabhaban when Winrock International President and CEO Ms. Maksoda Maksudi paid him a courtesy visit.
The President urged the organisation to strengthen its efforts to provide healthcare, agricultural marketing facilities and quality education to marginalised rural communities. He also called for the continuation of its existing programmes in priority sectors, including education and agriculture.
Emphasising the importance of public-private partnerships, Mr. Alamgir said cooperation between the government and development organisations could play an important role in advancing the country’s development priorities.
These priorities include education, agriculture, climate resilience and the protection of migrant workers. Ms. Maksudi briefed the President on Winrock International’s ongoing activities in Bangladesh and its future plans, while the President appreciated the organisation’s development initiatives.
Winrock International has been working in Bangladesh since the 1980s, focusing on agricultural development, livelihood improvement, climate resilience and efforts to combat human trafficking.
