DHAKA: The government readies a package carrying five attractive facilities for private entrepreneurs who will invest in power and energy fields, as the country cries for the twin-stimulus to feed its growing economy.

The facilities include duty-free import of furnace oil and power-plant equipment, facilities for captive power producers as being given to entrepreneurs of private power plants, license-fee waiver for captive power and the fixation of minimum price for captive power.

“The decision will be implemented soon,” said Finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhith at a view-exchange meeting Saturday.

The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources organised the high-level meeting on “Power generation by private entrepreneurs” at Bidyut Bhaban.

Finance Minister Muhith said government would consider extending more facilities to the entrepreneurs as per their proposal, if possible.
 
He added: country’s national growth cannot exceed six percent due to existing power and communications problems. “The growth would be 10 percent if the problems are met,” said the Minister.

Prime Minister’s adviser for power Dr Toufique-e-Elahi Chowdhury said, “It is the high time to invest in power sector. The government and the businessmen both will be benefited by the investment.”

Commerce Minister Faruque Khan lamented that the volume of exports decreased because of power crunch. “Despite taking a lot of decisions for the sector’s betterment, those are not being implemented,” he told the function.  

President of the apex-chamber FBCCI AK Azad said, “The Government should announce more facilities to attract entrepreneurs. They will also be more interested in this regard if the government buys electricity from them.”

Square Group Chairman Samson H Chowdhury said, “I want to establish a 100MW power plant. But the government is not allowing me. The procedural work in this connection should be easier.”

Present among others were Power secretary Abul Kalam Azad, Energy Secretary Mohammad Mesbah Uddin and Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank Ziaul Hassan Siddique. State Minister for Power Enamul Haque was in the chair.

BDST: 2004 HRS, AUG 28, 2010.