Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said it is unlikely that Awami League would be able to fulfill its election pledge to raise electricty generation by 1,000 megawatts (MW) in the country by the next three years.

The present government will need its full five-year tenure to generate power to the level the ruling Awami League had pledged before the elections to do in three years.

"What we pledged in the election manifesto to do in three years, we' ll be able to do in our five-year tenure," Finance Minister AMA Muhith told reporters yesterday.

The villagers of Sharabaria, Dighoir and Kushmail of Baragram upazila brought out a procession demanding power supply in their villages.

The procession was arranged by Sharbik Manob Unnayan Songothn of Barigram. The villagers carried hurricane, banner and festoon in the processions, which paraded up to Zonail Bazar and dispersed on Sharabaria Madrasa premises.

Power crisis is likely to ease in Chittagong with two rental and one state-run power plants expecting to generate 227 megawatt more power by April next year.

Of the three plants, a 22-MW rental power plant at Barabkunda in Sitakunda will go into operation by this month.

The power and energy ministry has taken a move to formulate a policy for the public-private joint venture to develop gas and coal fields on a

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources ministry officials to gear up their activities for adding additional 3000mw of electricity in national grid in three to four years.

Bangladesh and Russia yesterday agreed on their proposals for setting up nuclear power plants in Bangladesh and signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard at the end of this month.

Bangladesh and Russia at a consultation in Dhaka have in principle agreed on cooperation for peaceful use of nuclear power, official said.

An agreement between Bangladesh and Russia on cooperation for development of nuclear technology in the country is likely to be signed within this month.

State Minister for Power and Energy Shamsul Hoq Tuku yesterday said that there is no other alternative but to approve the coal policy for electricity production.