A power station at Doani to meet digital dream

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FLOODS, drought, river erosion and biting winter make new poor every year in Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari and Kurigram -- the districts known for poverty. As natural disasters harm them from time to time, the people of the area, fully dependent on agriculture, need alternative employment and income sources. The area needs electricity for irrigation, bank loans on easy terms, agro-based small and medium industry, training for overseas employment and quality seeds and fertiliser in time.
Only a handful of people in Hatibandha and Patgram upazilas under Lalmonirhat district get power supply from the 33 Kilo Volt switching station at Lalmonirhat town. The 140 Km supply line goes up to Burimari landport. The inhabitants in these areas always suffer from frequent power outages. No entrepreneur feels encouraged to invest in agro-based or any other industry in these areas.
A faster socio-economic development of the areas would require better power supply. It is advisable to install at least two or more 30 MW coal based power stations at Doani, close to Teesta Barrage. The power station would directly benefit about 4.0 million people and boost the local economy. Coal for the power station, it is suggested, can be easily brought from the Barapukuria colliery by rail or road or imported from India or Bhutan using the nearest landport at Burimari or Chilahati.
Besides, considering its location between Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari, Doani would be most suitable for a coal-fired power station. A thinly populated area, it has an abundance of unused land and river water.
Considering the benefits for the inhabitants of Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts, we would like to draw the kind attention of the Prime Minister and the State Minister for Power for taking the needed steps. It would go a long way to fulfill the dream of Digital Bangladesh.
Md. Raihanul Islam,
Vill. Ramniganj
Hatibandha,
Lalmonirhat,
E-mail : mrislam_bpdb@yahoo.com