Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the government will light up every house across the country within the ‘Mujib Borsho’ (Mujib Year) by bringing all people under the electricity coverage.

“Some 40 out of our 64 districts are now under full electricity coverage. We’ve been able to ensure cent percent electrification of villages in 410 upazilas. We’ll light up every house in Bangladesh by bringing the remaining districts and upazilas (under the cent percent electrification) by the ‘Mujib Borsho’, and we’ve been working to achieve this goal,” she said.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating cent percent electrification in seven districts and 23 upazilas of 18 other districts, and a 114 MW heavy fuel oil-fired Power Plant in Feni.

Through videoconferencing from Ganobhaban in the capital, she also opened the Sheikh Kamal IT Incubator and Training Centre constructed at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-tech Park in Rajshahi.

The seven districts, which came under electricity coverage in their entirety, are Dhaka, Feni, Gopalganj, Natore, Pabna, Joypurhat and Meherpur.

The 23 upazilas that came under cent percent electrification are Bagerhat Sadar, Nasirnagar in Brahmmanbaria, Alamdanga in Meherpur, Debidwar and Monoharganj in Cumilla, Khansama in Dinajpur, Madarganj in Jamalpur, Jashore Sadar and Manirampur in Jashore, Terakhada in Khulna, Mirpur in Kushtia, Raipur in Lakshmipur, Kamalganj and Juri in Moulvibazar, Badalgachhi and Patnitala in Naogaon, Araihazar in Narayanganj, Jaldhaka in Nilphamari, Nakla and Jhenaigati in Sherpur, Ghatail in Tangail, Ranisankail in Thakurgaon and Chhatak in Sunamganj.

Talking about the newly-opened Sheikh Kamal IT Incubator and Training Centre, the Prime Minister stressed the need for having technology knowledge among the young generation so that they can sustain in the competitive world.

Now is the age of technology and it can never happen that Bangladesh will lag behind there, she said. “We want to educate our new generation in such a way so that they can move keeping pace with the competitive world. So, technology education is a must (for them),” she added.

The Prime Minister said her government wants to establish a technology-based society. “This is why we’ve taken various steps, including providing computer education and setting up multimedia classrooms in educational institutions, so that the new generation gets attracted to technology education.”

The 72,000 square-foot Sheikh Kamal IT Incubator and Training Centre building has multipurpose training facilities, high quality start-ups, rainwater harvesting and renewable energy sources.

The centre will help build an IT knowledge-based society and create employments in the country, particularly in the northern region.

Bangladesh Hi-tech Park Authority under the ICT Division is implementing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-tech Park on 30.67 acres of land at Nabinagar in Poba upazila of Rajshahi.

Over 50 percent physical infrastructure development work on the Hi-Tech Park has already been completed, which provide incubation facility to new entrepreneur companies in IT and ITeS sectors along with drawing local and foreign investors.

The construction of the Hi-Tech Park started in 2016, which will create job opportunities for around 14,000 youths.

Major project operations include land development, a 10-storey silicon tower on 2.70 lakh square feet of land, substation and generation building, internal roads and drains, boundary wall and high-speed internet.

PM’s Political Affairs Adviser HT Imam, PM’s Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, former Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam also spoke at the function.

PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus conducted the function while ICT Division Senior Secretary NM Zeaul Alam and Power Division Secretary Dr Sultan Ahmed made two presentations over the ICT and power sectors.