October 6, 2022
DHAKA – BNP yesterday blamed the government’s overall “failure” and theft in the power sector for Tuesday’s power blackout in most areas of the country caused by a national grid failure.
“We feel that this (national grid failure) happened due to a total government failure and the problem relating to planning, structural and technical matters, and widespread theft in the power sector,” he said.
The BNP leader also said the power sector is not the only arena facing such problems. “These are happening everywhere. I think the main reasons behind this are the various unplanned development projects by the government only for indulging in corruption.”
He made the remarks while talking to reporters at BNP standing committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku’s Asad Gate residence in the capital.
Fakhrul, along with another BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, went to Tuku’s house as he fell sick.
Earlier on Tuesday, power supply across the country was disrupted for nearly seven hours, plunging most areas into a blackout following the failure of the national power grid.
Fakhrul said the government used to brag about attaining self-sufficiency in electricity and having the capacity to produce more power than the country’s demand, but people are regularly facing power outages.
“Yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) case was unusual. There was no power in most parts of the country for about eight hours. It’s like a total blackout,” he observed.
The BNP leader said the blackout has manifested because the ruling party leaders made a huge amount of money by taking various projects in the power sector, but failed to ensure real and sustainable development.
“It (blackout) threw the country into a great disaster. As a result, mobile network and internet, all factories and filling stations were shut down.”
He said the current government is taking unplanned projects and plundering public money as there is no accountability.
“There is not an elected parliament. Since this government has no accountability to the people, we are facing many problems and disasters in every sector. This incident (national grid failure) is proof of it. That’s why we are repeatedly saying that this government has become a burden on the country,” Fakhrul said.
He said it will be difficult for the nation to survive if this government is not removed immediately.
The BNP leader said the current regime must resign by handing over power to a non-party caretaker government to hold a credible national election and establish a government of the people.