Lack of skilled workforce blamed for power, energy crisis

The state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, Nasrul Hamid Bipu, has said that the power and energy crisis could not be resolved immediately mainly due to lack of skilled human resources in this sector. “The human resources in power and energy is very weak, which is the main obstacle in improving the sector rapidly,” he said while addressing a seminar as chief guest yesterday (Saturday). The Chittagong Journalist Forum in Dhaka (CJFD) organised the seminar on “Industrialisation in Chittagong: Availability of Energy” at the conference room of Bidyut Bhaban at Segun Bagicha in the city. Presided over by the CJFD president, Saif Islam Dilal, the seminar was addressed, among others, by former energy adviser to the caretaker government, Dr M Tamim, dean of the engineering faculty of Daffodil International University (DIU), Prof Shamsul Alam, former principal secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, Md Abdul Karim, senior secretary of the cultural ministry, Dr Ranjit Biswas, president of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI), Mahbub Alam, director general of the power cell, Power Division, Mohammad Hossain, director of Petro Bangla, Jamil Ahmed, and former vice-president of the Bangladesh Federation of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), Manwara Hakim Ali.
About the gas crisis in the domestic and industrial sector in Chittagong, the state minister said it would need at least two and half years to resolve the gas and power problems in the port city. He said lack of a gas management system earlier had created the present crisis. Added to this was lack of professional manpower in this sector, he added. Emphasising on LNG gas, Bipu said they are negotiating with Qatar to fix the price for importing LNG gas to meet the growing demand. M Tamim said the energy crisis in Chittagong started when extraction of gas from the Sangu gas field was stopped. The former adviser to the caretaker government said out of the total energy deficit of the country, 50 per cent is in Chittagong. He also said the government should put emphasis on resolving the crisis, as the port city is the economic hub of Bangladesh. “Chittagong will play a role to further the nation's economic growth,” he noted.
Prof Shamsul Alam said the government is suffering from an "information crisis" regarding the energy situation in the country. “The information provided by bureaucrats is not accurate. The government cannot draw up an effective plan due to lack of accurate information,” he added. He blamed officials for corruption, which was hindering development of the power and energy sector.

Lack of skilled workforce blamed for power, energy crisis

The state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, Nasrul Hamid Bipu, has said that the power and energy crisis could not be resolved immediately mainly due to lack of skilled human resources in this sector. The human resources in power and energy is very weak, which is the main obstacle in improving the sector rapidly, he said while addressing a seminar as chief guest yesterday (Saturday). The Chittagong Journalist Forum in Dhaka (CJFD) organised the seminar on Industrialisation in Chittagong: Availability of Energy at the conference room of Bidyut Bhaban at Segun Bagicha in the city. Presided over by the CJFD president, Saif Islam Dilal, the seminar was addressed, among others, by former energy adviser to the caretaker government, Dr M Tamim, dean of the engineering faculty of Daffodil International University (DIU), Prof Shamsul Alam, former principal secretary of the Prime Ministers Office, Md Abdul Karim, senior secretary of the cultural ministry, Dr Ranjit Biswas, president of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI), Mahbub Alam, director general of the power cell, Power Division, Mohammad Hossain, director of Petro Bangla, Jamil Ahmed, and former vice-president of the Bangladesh Federation of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), Manwara Hakim Ali. About the gas crisis in the domestic and industrial sector in Chittagong, the state minister said it would need at least two and half years to resolve the gas and power problems in the port city. He said lack of a gas management system earlier had created the present crisis. Added to this was lack of professional manpower in this sector, he added. Emphasising on LNG gas, Bipu said they are negotiating with Qatar to fix the price for importing LNG gas to meet the growing demand. M Tamim said the energy crisis in Chittagong started when extraction of gas from the Sangu gas field was stopped. The former adviser to the caretaker government said out of the total energy deficit of the country, 50 per cent is in Chittagong. He also said the government should put emphasis on resolving the crisis, as the port city is the economic hub of Bangladesh. Chittagong will play a role to further the nations economic growth, he noted. Prof Shamsul Alam said the government is suffering from an information crisis regarding the energy situation in the country. The information provided by bureaucrats is not accurate. The government cannot draw up an effective plan due to lack of accurate information, he added. He blamed officials for corruption, which was hindering development of the power and energy sector.