Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) will ensure 100 percent electricity coverage in its grid-connected area across the country by the end of this month, an official says.

The project will make a success when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate an 100 percent electrification program for 31 more upazillas through a video conference from ‘Ganabhaban’ on August 27, the official said.

BREB director Mohammad Anwar Hossain told Bangladesh Post, “We are at the very end of the 100 percent electrification on our grid-connected areas with some 455 upazilas enjoying this privilege.

“The PM will inaugurate 100 percent electrification program for 31 more upazilas on August 27 and we are hopeful to bring the rest of the upazilas under this privilegeby August 31,” he added.

Hossain said, some 1,059 villages fall in off-grid or remote areas where power connection gets costly and time consuming to reach the grid lines.

“Electricity will be suppliedusing solar panels or alternative ways in those areas and our work will be completed by this December,” he added.

BREB is now distributing leaflets on ensuring 100 percent electricity connection in the rural areas. Announcement is being made with potential users being requested to contact the nearest ‘PalliBidyutSamiti’ (PBS) office get a power connection.

No extra charges require for getting an electricity connection except the fees fixed by the government (payable through money receipts). Therefore, all have been requested to contact the PalliBidyut office directly, according to the BREB.  

PalliBidyutsupplies electricity in its jurisdiction under the initiative titled ‘AlorFeriwala' with a subscriber receiving a power connection in 5 to 10 minutes.

Currently, 97 percent of the total population in the countryhave been brought under electricity coverage as part of the government’s promise to bring every house under power coverage by 2021, officials at the Power Division said.