State-run Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and China Huadian Hongkong Company Ltd (CHDHK) Sunday inked a deal to form a joint venture (JV) company to build a 1,320 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant at Moheshkhali in Cox's Bazar.
Both the companies would have similar stakes in the power plant to be built on 200 acres of land.
State minister for the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid was the chief guest at the deal signing ceremony held at Biddyt Bhaban in the city.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Hamid stressed for further improvement of the transmission and distribution system of electricity to reap the benefit of increased electricity generation.
National dispatch centre is also being modernised, he said. "The government is undertaking big power plant projects, which would create huge employment facilities in the country," he added.
Efficient manpower would be required for operation and maintenance of the modern technology-based machinery, said Mr Hamid.
BPDB secretary Mina Masud Uzzaman and vice president of CHDHK Wang Zhihao signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.
Power secretary Dr Ahmed Kaikaus, BPDB chairman Engineer Khaled Mahmood, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Zhang Zuo and CHDHK president Fong Zheng also spoke on the occasion.
Azizjst@yahoo.com