Govt to issue bond exclusively for renewable energy fund

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Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury said Sunday that the government was going to issue a bond to create a fund exclusively for promoting the use of renewable energy across the country, reports UNB.
Addressing a roundtable conference on "Renewable Energy: Implementation of National Renewable Energy Policy" at the BIISS auditorium in the city, she said this fund would be created to reach renewable energy to the rural people at an affordable price.
Considering the rural peoples' poor affordability, the agriculture minister urged the people in the renewable energy business to opt for a lesser profit than they were now making.
"I'll urge you to make a little bit less profit in your business so that rural people can get renewable energy at cheaper price," she told the businessmen in the audience.
Mrs Matia also laid special emphasis on making solar-run irrigation pumps available at affordable prices.
Bangladesh Renewable Energy Society (BRES), an organisation of the renewable energy business firms, organised the seminar with its chairman former ambassador Mohammad Zamir in the chair.
Among others, Prime Minister's Adviser Taufiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Grameen Shakti chief Dipal Barua and Rahimafrooz Director Niaz Rahim spoke at the function.
The minister noted that at present, 21 per cent of the rural people have access to energy - most of them dependent on use of kerosene to meet their energy needs.
She reaffirmed the government's commitment to the development of the country's energy sector, particularly the renewable energy.
The minister said Bangladesh Bank has already allocated Tk 2.0 billion for the promotion of renewable energy while all taxes on import of renewable energy equipment were exempted.
Dr Chowdhury said the government was trying to harness potentials of all energy sources.
The government has initiated a move to set up small-scale hydroelectricity plants on different rivers, he said adding that a team of Russian experts was due to discuss about the project.