Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the government is looking for a suitable place for construction of the country’s second nuclear power plant.
"We are conducting a feasibility study. We will construct the second nuclear power plant in the Southern part of the country. We have that plan," she said.
The Prime Minister came up with the statement in her address at a civic rally at Kalapara of Patuakhali district on Saturday, report BSS, UNB.
She inaugurated 21 projects including ‘Swapner Thikana’, a housing project for rehabilitation of the people who lost their land for constructing 1,320 MW thermal power plant in Payra.
The Prime Minister informed that her government is taking all projects under a master plan for development of the southern part of the country which was neglected for a long time after 1975.
The government has a plan to generate 30,000 MW power in the southern part of the country, she said, adding another 1,320 MW power plant would be constructed by the same company-Northwest Power Generation Company-in the southern part.
Sheikh Hasina said the government is constructing a naval base and an air force base in the southern region side by side building a cantonment for Bangladesh Army.
"A shipbuilding and ship recycling industry is also being developed in the Taltali area of Patuakhali," she said.
The Prime Minister said a total of 130 families have found their homes in the Swapner Thikana project allowing them to live in a decent atmosphere.
"The 1320 MW thermal power plant, biggest coal based power plant in the country, would create job opportunities for them," she said.
The Prime Minister said a cyclone centre would be constructed in the power plant for shelter of the local people during any cyclonic natural disaster.
Local parliament member Md. Mahbubur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.
Agriculture Minister Matiya Chowdhury, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Chief Whip ASM Firoz, PM’s advisor Dr Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid were present.
The Prime Minister urged the people to cast their vote for ‘boat’ to continue the development activities of the country saying Bangladesh would be a poverty free country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041.
The Prime Minister handed over the keys of the homes to the rehabilitated families and released fish fries in the pond of the housing area and planted sapling of a coconut tree on the premises of the housing.