Ring Road, Ring River Ways and Ring Rail:


Dhaka is blessed being surrounded with four rivers Buriganga, Sitalakhya, Turag and Balu. True for unplanned urban growth unauthorized occupation and grabbing has almost reduced these rivers into lean, thin, black and dirty streams. But the government is endeavoring to regenerate the rivers through reestablishing the boundary of the rivers, freeing the river banks and rivers of illegal grabbing and occupation. These four rivers can become the life line of our dearest Dhaka if we can really free these rivers of occupation and through capital dredging bring the puberty of these rivers. Great cities like London Paris, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, and Venice all have utilized their rivers to beautify the cities. There are no reasons why Dhaka cannot do that. Citizens especially the political leadership, media and civil society must create a social revolution for recovering the four rivers and all canals those used to made Dhaka a beautiful green city in 1960s and 1970s.

City Circular River Transportation is not working well for unmanageable reasons. It must be made truly operational. PM Hasina talked about city circular road and Railway. If can be implemented can work well for easing and comforting present grid lock. Along the ring road, a City Ring main of Gas Pipeline, Water Main and Power transmission can create energy, water and power security of supply. The navigability and water holding capacity of the rivers will support all season transportation of goods and people from all parts of the country. River water treatment and supply can meet the water supply demand for irrigation and industrial use. The threat of Earthquake triggered damage from continued drawing down of sub surface water through tube wells. Expansion of water holding capacity of the rivers will act in confronting flooding. The regeneration of canals of the city will prevent water logging of the city after every major rain. People from all walks of life and across all political divide must work unitedly in recovering rivers and canals of Dhaka City. Same actions can be replicated for all major cities Chittagong, Khulna, Sylhet, Rajshahi, and Barisal. The riverine Bangladesh must not become Fairy Tale of our future generation.

Exploring and Exploiting Own Resources:



For long term sustainable energy security one of the main challenges is arranging the required fuel. Present situation necessitated diversification of fuel mix. Bangladesh is now compelled to walk on a very slippery route of imported fuel coal and LNG. Let us not revisit the bitter episodes of dilly dallying in exploring and exploiting substantial untapped gas resource and significant high quality coal resources. Simultaneous to plans of importing Coal and LNG we must proceed more proactively in exploiting our own resources. We must start mining our superior quality coal resources from Phulbari and Barapukuria coal mines without wasting any further time. Modern technology can credibly manage all environmental and social impacts. Mining coal in Bangladesh is now a very much a political ball game. Technical, technological and economic reality favors open pit mining. If mining and mine mouth power plant initiatives can start by June 2015 it is very much possible to start generating about 10,000 MW own coal based power generation in Dinajpur, Rangpur area by 2020.

BAPEX as flagship Bangladesh E&P Company has made significant strides over the last 5 years. But we must acknowledge that the best of BAPEX is not enough to create gas security. Bangladesh must engage IOCs through fair and transparent bidding process in onshore frontiers alongside BAPEX. For offshore, the efforts to map resources must start immediately through engaging survey companies. All those survey acquired information must be packaged and with additional incentives fresh bidding rounds for shallow and deep water exploration round must be launched by early 2016.

Chittagong region is continuing to suffer from energy crisis. There should have been a bi directional gas transmission pipeline build from National Grid to Chittagong much earlier side by side to LNG import initiative .But policy makers did not pay heed to it. The huge investment in Bibiyana Gas Field, Ashuganj Compressor station, Bibiyana-Dhanua Gas Transmission Pipeline has failed to address gas crisis of Chittagong. The bureaucrat-driven policy makers ignored suggestions of professionals.



For achieving Vision 2021 creating sustainable energy security is building brick.  Relying on imported fuel alone will create great uncertainties. World Energy Outlook evidences that Geo Politics plays a role in Energy World. Energy market is volatile. The present bubble of Shale Gas which has artificially kept oil price lower may burst soon. Reemergence of cold war may block energy transporting choke points anytime. Bangladesh must focus on exploring and exploiting own gas and coal resources without wasting any time.

Bangladesh Must Launch Energy Diplomacy:

Bangladesh has initiated different initiatives for achieving a power to all vision by 2021. 63% population has access to power now and that access is not of desired quality and sustainable. The vision includes achieving a sustainable generation capacity of 24000 MW by 2021. The various mega power plants projects mostly depended on imported fuel has huge challenges in importing coal and LNG, managing the projects implementation and operation efficiently. We will need generous support of International Development agencies and development partners. Bangladesh need more aggressive economic and energy diplomacy. Many very accomplished non resident Bangladeshis living and working in many energy rich North America, West and East Europe Australia , Middle East have great heart for making contribution for their land of origin. But we are not very sure whether our diplomatic missions are well focused in creating networks. Many diplomatic missions even do not have information about Vision 2021 energy sector priorities. Government for achieving the milestones of 2021 will require much more focused energy diplomacy. Diplomats in energy rich countries must develop networks with NRB professionals and energy companies. They must have all basic information of energy projects – opportunities and incentives available in Bangladesh Power and Energy Sector.

(To Be Continued )

** Vision 2021: Issues and Challenges (Part-3)

BDST: 1128 HRS, DEC 16, 2014