DHAKA: Over 850 unions of the country are still left in the dark and there is no possibility of bringing these vast areas under electrification in next two years, according to available statistics.
The statistical data on the country’s infrastructural condition show that out of over 4500 unions of the country these 859 are out of the reach of electricity, an important development matrix in the modern times.
Like it or loathe it, Bandua in Nawabganj upazila, close by the country’s capital, Dhaka, is among the unions yet to see the light.
Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC), an agency under Science and Information Communication Technology Ministry, has prepared the statistics about the dark sites that cannot be linked to the information superhighway by using the ICT appliances.
The statistics say the highest 224 unions sans electricity are under 16 districts of Dhaka while 186 unions are under Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, 89 of Barisal, 118 of Khulna and 170 unions of Chittagong division.
There is no information about Munshiganj, Pirojpur, Habiganj and Laxmipur districts in the BCC account.
The BCC is going to set up at least one solar panel each in the power-less unions in order to facilitate the setting up of computers to establish Union Information and Service Center (UISC) under the government’s recipe for building up ‘Digital Bangladesh’.
Sources from BCC and Access to Information (A2I) under the Prime Minister’s Office said the government is going to set up solar panel as the ministry of Power and Energy will not be able to bring these unions under electrification in next two years.
BCC Chairman Mahfuzur Rahman told banglanews, “The government is going to establish UISC in every union with a view to disseminating information to people’s doorstep. Solar panel will be set up in the unions without electricity to bring those under UISC facility.”
He said the government decided to supply power through solar panel to the UISC under the process of building ‘Digital Bangladesh” as per one of its cardinal election pledges.
About advances of the project Mahfuzur said, “The tender formalities will be finalized by September and installing solar panel will begin by November.”
BDST: 1157 HRS, SEPT 13, 2010
