State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit has said the government is giving special priority to expanding electricity generation from renewable sources to protect the environment, with a target of producing up to 10,000 megawatts of renewable power within the next five years.
He made the remarks on Saturday while inaugurating a tree plantation programme and laying the foundation stone for a 10-storey academic building at the Jashore Zila School ground.
The event also marked the launch of the Jashore Education Board's campaign to plant 100,000 trees under the Prime Minister's nationwide initiative to plant 25 crore trees.
The state minister said Bangladesh's power sector had evolved from diesel and furnace oil to gas and coal, but these conventional energy sources continued to harm the environment. "The government is now moving towards environment-friendly energy," he said.
He added that the current budget includes duty and tax exemptions on electric bikes until 2031. The government has also adopted a policy to generate electricity from waste and plans to gradually develop facilities that will convert waste from city corporations and municipalities into power.
Addressing teachers, the minister said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's main objective was to make learning more enjoyable by integrating technology into education. He stressed the need for modern and engaging teaching methods to encourage students to take a greater interest in their studies.
Speaking to students, he urged them to use their education and talents to help rebuild Bangladesh after completing their studies. "None of you should step onto the wrong path, so remain cautious," he said.
The 10-storey academic building at Jashore Zila School is being constructed at a cost of Tk 13.10 crore under the government secondary schools development project, financed through the Jashore Education Engineering Department and implemented by the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education.
After unveiling the foundation stone, the state minister inspected the construction site. He later inaugurated the tree plantation programme organised by the Jashore Education Board and distributed saplings among students.
Jashore Zila Parishad Administrator Delwar Hossain Khokon, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ashek Hasan, Jashore Education Board Chairman Professor Faruke Azam Md Abdus Salam, former Jashore district BNP vice-president Golam Reza Dulu and Jashore city BNP president Rafiqul Islam Chowdhury Mulluk Chand were among those present.
