Govt apathy leads to non-utilisation of $3.0b donors-committed fund

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M Azizur Rahman
Donor agencies' committed fund worth around US$3.0 billion for building several big power plant projects to generate at least 1500 megawatts (mw) remained untapped for years due to government apathy and gas shortage, officials said.
Power ministry officials said a number of donor agencies confirmed funding for setting up the power plants several years ago with the condition of maintaining transparency in the bidding process.
But instead of complying with the donors' conditions the successive governments, including the previous caretaker one, opted for installing expensive and short-term rental power plants without formulating any relevant national policy, it was alleged.
The gas supply shortage is cited as one of the major reasons for delaying the power projects.
Multilateral donor agencies - the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency - pledged to provide fund worth around $ 3.0 billion to the government for building the public sector power projects, said a ministry official.
The power plant projects include Haripur 360 mw, Bheramara 360 mw, Shidhhirganj 300 mw, Shidhhirganj 240 mw, Bhola 150 mw, Sirajganj 150 mw and Khulna 50 mw.