The World Bank is supporting the Government initiative to increase rural people's access to electricity through the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development (RERED) Project as the Government is relying upon renewable energy options to provide electricity in remote areas where grid expansion is either too expensive or not possible now.

March 2009 issue of the Scientific American (www.SciAm.com) discusses five methods of generating carbonless power and the available technology.

The Siddhirganj Peaking Power Project (SPPP), Bangladesh's first integrated gas-to-power project would add 300MW electricity to national power grid, which was scheduled to be completed by 2011.

A front page report covering over forty column-inch was published in a local English daily on 11th April on the subject. It deserves national attention and urgent action by the government; if it is really serious to go ahead to provide more power within the next two years (by December 2012).

Six international and local consortium and companies have submitted their papers yesterday for the pre-qualification bid for the 450 megawatt Bibiyana Power Project under the Power Cell of the Ministry of Power.

This is the second time a bidding is being held for this project.

In the wake of acute power crisis, the government plans to shut down operation of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd (CUFL) for an interim period to help increase supply of power.

Sources said the government is likely to take a decision soon in this regard and the shutdown may come into effect from next month.

Speakers at a discussion meeting yesterday said that the people were facing severe electricity and gas crisis due to government's lack of commitment.

The government directed electricity generation and distribution companies to improve their quality of services to ease sufferings of people across the country due to non-stop electricity cut.

Faced with a deep energy crisis due to gas shortage that cannot be overcome overnight, the government considers importing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), increasing efficiency of bulk gas users to reduce demands and setting standards to promote energy efficient electrical equipment, says Dr Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, energy adviser to the prime minister.

What should have been done ages ago has been sent to different ministries for opinion. This is not the Friday-Sunday issue to be debated upon. If you want to save energy by closing down shops and businesses at 8:00pm, then adopt the daylight saving scheme to save more. Pushing the clock in summer by one hour, you actually save daylight.