JICA’s help sought for modernising power sector in south-western region 

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has sought the cooperation of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to modernise the gas and electricity transmission and distribution systems in the country’s southwestern region.

He made the call at a meeting with JICA's newly appointed Chief Representative to Bangladesh Tomohide Ichiguchi at the latter’s office at the Secretariat on Wednesday.

“After the construction of the Padma Bridge, a rapid development is taking place in the southwestern part of the country. JICA can play a major role in modernising electricity transmission and distribution systems in the region,” he told Tomohide.

During the meeting they discussed various issues related to mutual interest, reports UNB.

Welcoming the newly appointed chief representative, Nasrul Hamid said that JICA is one of the main development partners of Bangladesh.

He also requested the JICA local chief to extend cooperation to Bangladesh Power Management Institute (BPMI) to make it an international quality training institute for the development of human resources.

He observed that a huge investment opportunity has been created in the distribution and transmission sector.

He also requested the JICA to conduct a study on local area-based load management and possible power transmission to meet the requirements.

Integrated master plan for energy and power, renewable energy, wind power, change in electricity consumption pattern, energy demand in industry, modernisation of power and energy sector, land development of Maheshkhali, and gas pipeline installation projects also came up for discussion.

The JICA chief representative said Bangladesh is his old workstation.

“JICA will remain with Bangladesh to promote its development. JICA will continue to work for the development of BPMI,” he assured the state minister.

JICA outgoing chief representative Yoho Hayakawa was also present on the occasion.