United News of Bangladesh

The government has taken up a Tk 2,910.22 crore project to expand and modernise electricity distribution networks across the three Chattogram Hill Tracts districts, aiming to bring another 88,586 consumers under the national grid and improve power services in one of the country’s most remote regions. The project, titled “Expansion of Electricity Network in Three Hill Districts,” will cover all 26 upazilas of Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban. The three districts are home to about 1.84 million people, with more than half belonging to small ethnic communities. Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) under the Power Division will implement the project. Of the estimated project cost, Tk 444.31 crore will come from the government, Tk 2,098.40 crore from an Asian Development Bank (ADB) project loan and Tk 367.52 crore from BPDB’s own funds. The new project has been designed to extend grid services to areas and communities that remained outside the earlier coverage. The ADB approved a $175 million concessional loan in September for expanding reliable and affordable electricity access in the Chattogram Hill Tracts. The project is scheduled to be implemented by June 2031. A Planning Commission member told UNB that the project would expand and improve the electricity distribution system in the three hill districts, helping meet growing demand and improve the quality of electricity services. “Once implemented, the project will make it possible to provide grid-connected electricity to another 88,586 new consumers, bringing nearly 90 percent of the people in the three hill districts under the national grid,” the member said. At present, BPDB has 250,782 electricity consumers in the three districts, according to the project document. Of them, 75,149 are in Rangamati, 59,834 in Bandarban and 115,799 in Khagrachhari, based on data as of June 2026. The project is expected to add 25,966 new consumers in Rangamati, 17,700 in Bandarban and 44,920 in Khagrachhari. The project document said a previous project, titled “Development of Electricity Distribution System in Three Hill Districts”, was completed in June 2022. Following its implementation, around 55 percent of the people in the hill districts gained access to electricity. The new project has been designed to extend electricity services to people still living outside the coverage area. Under the project, six new 33/11 kV substations will be constructed, including three in Rangamati, two in Khagrachhari and one in Bandarban. Four existing 33/11 kV substations will be upgraded or renovated, along with one switching station. The project will also install 2,038 new distribution transformers with capacities of 250, 100, 50, 25 and 15 kVA. It will construct 244 km of new 33 kV lines and upgrade or renovate another 262 km. For 11 kV lines, 1,016 km of new lines will be constructed and 459 km will be upgraded or renovated. The project also includes construction of 563 km of new 11/0.4 kV lines and renovation or upgrading of 344 km. In addition, 692 km of new 6.35 kV lines, 387 km of new 6.35/0.23 kV lines, 1,179 km of new 0.8 kV lines and 951 km of new 0.23 kV lines will be constructed. Another 402 km of 0.8 kV lines and 407 km of 0.23 kV lines will be upgraded or renovated. The project will cover all 26 upazilas of the three districts — 10 in Rangamati, seven in Bandarban and nine in Khagrachhari. The project document said expanding electricity access in the hill areas is important for development, agriculture and tourism, improvement of living standards and ensuring border security. The project is also aligned with the government’s election manifesto commitment to ensure efficient, affordable and reliable electricity services through strengthening and modernising the power transmission system. It is also in line with Sustainable Development Goal 7, which seeks to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved  a project involving Tk 6,179 crore to enhance the electricity network in Dhaka and Mymensingh divisions. The approval came from the Ecnec meeting held at the NEC conference room. Ecnec chair and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined it through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganobhaban. The meeting approved six fresh projects and four revised ones. Read: Hi-Tech Park to turn Khulna industrial area into tech-based zone: Palak The total estimated cost of the 10 projects is Tk 10,885.60 crore (only additional costs of the revised ones were counted here), State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam told reporters after the meeting. Of the cost, Tk 5,142.55 crore will be borne from the government’s fund, while Tk 756.30 crore will come from the own funds of the organisations concerned and the rest Tk 4,956.75 as project loans from foreign sources, he said. In terms of cost, the three largest new projects are Modernization and Capacity Enhancement of BREB Network (Dhaka-Mymensingh Division) project with an estimated cost of Tk 6178.83, Establishment of Rajshahi Medical University (RMU) with Tk 1,867.08 crore, and Modernization of Power Distribution-Smart Grids Phase-I with Tk 1,067.24 crore. The rest three fresh projects are Upgradation of Gauripur-Anandaganj-Madhupur-Dewanganj Bazar-Hossainpur District Highway under Kishoreganj Road Division project with Tk 701.53 crore, Reconstruction of Dirai-Shalla section of Madanpur-Dirai-Shalla-Jalsukha-Ajmiriganj District Highway project with Tk 628.54 crore, and Temple-Based Children and Mass Education Program (Phase 6) with Tk 365 crore. Read: Opposition MPs come down hard on EC, police The four revised projects include Upgrading Sirajganj town part of Nalka-Sirajganj-Soydabad Regional Highway (from Shaheed M Mansur Ali Medical College to Wapda junction) into 4-lane one and Upgrading the remaining part into 2-lane one (1st revised) project with additional cost of Tk 63.04 crore (now its cost rose at Tk 327.30 crore), construction of the connecting road from Bogura town to medical college (1st revised) with additional cost of Tk 79.72 crore (now the cost stands at Tk 184.71 crore). The other revised projects are “Construction of Goma Bridge on Rangamati River at 14t km of Barishal (Dinarerpool)-Lakshipasha-Dumki District Highway (1st revised)” with additional cost of Tk 34.82 crore (now the cost increased to Tk 92.45 crore) and Establishment of Fire Service and Civil Defense Stations at 25 important Upazila Sadar/ places of the country (3rd revised)” with reduction of 130.20 crore in the cost (now the cost declined to Tk 289.18 crore). Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Health Minister Zahid Maleque, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim, Environment Minister Md Shahab Uddin and Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury were, among others, present.