Despite declaration for one hundred per cent electrification, in reality, it won’t be possible by 2018. Power has reached 239 upazilas of a total of 460 and, the Rural Electrification Board, REB, is trying to take power to 80 more upazilas by December.
In Total, 319 upazilas will get power by December, while to give connection to the rest, another six months, till June, 2019, will be needed.
The government has declared to take power to all homes by 2021.
The extra time will be needed as REB could not construct all lines on time, while grappling with the rising demand for power.
The rural power links are providing 3 to 3.5 lakh connections every month with lakhs of new applications submitted every month.
One REB power official said that now it’s easier to give connections since work is underway to achieve 100 per cent electrification.
“The connection work is complex; we have to set up new lines, raise the capacity of transformers, which is time consuming,” added the official.
REB also says that the prime minister has already inaugurated 100 per cent electrification in 79 upazilas. Full power has been provided in another 160 upazilas and another 80 will get full power by December.