For the second time in the country’s history, the government is giving electricity facilities to shoal (char) areas through submarine cable connection under Shariatpur district. Providing electricity in the char areas was one of the election pledges of the present government. As per the promise, three chars, Atra, Naopara and Kachikata under the district of Shariatpur is set to get 20 MW power connectivity through submarine cable.
Deputy Minister for Water Resources, AKM Enamul Haque Shameem, came up with this comment while addressing a public meeting while inaugurating Submarine Cable Connectivity and Power Sub-Station at Char Atra of Naria Upazila on Monday evening. He said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is very much keen to develop the life of the rural people. For this, it was one of the challenges to bring the char people under the national grid. Electricity is an essential component for mainstream development.
‘As the chars are detached from the mainland so connecting these chars to the national power grid was a great challenge. But with the modern technology, now the char areas are going to connect with submarine cable, by which each house of these char areas will be illuminated,’ he added. Shameem said, in order to transform the Shariatpur as a model district, the government has undertaken projects worth Tk 600 crore, several initiatives will be established under the project which will change the entire district.
These chars are being connected with submarine cable going through Munshiganj under 800 meters of the Padma river. Rural Electrification Board (REB) of Munshigonj is conducting the initiative to connect the chars to the National Power Grid. Earlier, the government provided electricity to Sandwip Upazila through submarine cable. As per the project information, it was learnt that, REB, Munshigonj has already constructed 150 Kilometers (km) distribution line of the total 200 km, which will connect the underlying 800 meter depth submarine cable under Padma River. Personnel concerned with the work are expecting that 20 MW power connectivity will illuminate houses of 70,000 people of char areas by this December.
After several meetings with the senior officials of REB, the deputy minister convinced them to bring these char area people under electricity facility. Member of REB (Planning and Development) Md Abdus Salam, Shariatpur district commissioner Kazi Abu Taher, Shariatpur superintendent of police Abdul Momen, Secretary General of Shariatpur Awami League Anol Kumar Dey among others also spoke on the occasion as special guests.
