Govt to review all independent power plants deals of AL regime, says Dr Salehuddin

The government has decided to review all the agreements on the Independent Power Plants (IPP) signed during the Awami League regime, as there were widespread allegations of inconsistencies in those agreements.

Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed said this on Tuesday while briefing reporters after a meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs at the Cabinet Division of the Secretariat.

Besides, there was a directive from the Supreme Court (apex court) in this regard, he said.

In line with the court’s directive, the government has approved a proposal to seek legal support and hold necessary discussions regarding the agreements, Salehuddin said.

The High Court declared unconstitutional two sections of the long-debated "Indemnity Act" of the power sector that protected the decisions of the government from legal challenges and gave the it sole authority to approve all sorts of plans for the sector.

The HC, however, condoned the actions already taken in good faith under the two sections of the act to avoid legal complexities.

It also directed the government authorities concerned to immediately take necessary steps to make all the state-owned power plants fully operational in the national interest.

The Finance Adviser mentioned that they reviewed the food stock situation of the country and found it satisfactory.

He said that the stock of main food grains like paddy, rice and wheat was reviewed.

The Adviser said that there would be ups and downs in the market as it is not expected that the prices of all products would go up while prices of all products would go down all of a sudden. “But, we remain very cautious and vigilant in this regard.”

Meanwhile, the government approved two separate proposals in principle for implementing the civil part and E/M part of the construction of the ‘July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum’ as delegated works under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.

Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed presided over the meeting alongside presiding over two separate meetings of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase and the Food Planning and Monitoring Committee.