Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently said the government wants to develop the country and for that reason it needs more energy.
“We want the development of our country. That’s why we need energy,” she said while visiting Special US Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry called on her at her official residence.
PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim later briefed reporters.
He said the prime minister mentioned that as the source of clean energy, Bangladesh put emphasis on producing more energy from hydroelectric power plants.
“We’ve only one hydroelectric power generation plant. Now we’re in discussion with Nepal, Bhutan and India to set up hydroelectric plants through bilateral or trilateral initiatives on regional basis,” she said.
She also said that there are around 5.8 million solar connectivity in the country.
“Agriculture sector also needs solar energy for irrigation,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina deeply appreciated the decision of the US to return to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
“This’ll create new momentum in climate change diplomacy,” she said.
She thanked the US president for inviting her to attend the “Leaders Summit on Climate” to be held on April 22 and 23 virtually.
John Kerry said that the US put emphasis on using renewable energy for reducing risk of pollution. In this connection, he mentioned that US companies are keen to invest in Bangladesh building partnership with others.
He said that in development finance, the concessionary money will be invested for making the environment pollution free and preserve the environment.
He mentioned that previously the Obama Administration gave $1 billion to the Green Climate Fund, which was supposed to be a $100 billion fund through the participation of all developed countries. “We’ll give another $2 billion in the Fund,” he said.
He put emphasis on hydroelectricity and solar power for reducing risk of pollution while using the energy.
