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Steps to ensure smooth power supply during SAARC summit
M Azizur Rahman
11/9/2005

The government has taken measures to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply in the capital during the SAARC summit.
"The power division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR) has already directed the country's power sector entities to ensure uninterrupted flow of electricity in the capital during the summit, which will be held on November 12-13 next," a top ministry official told the FE.
The opening session of the thirteenth SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit will be held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.
Some 42 meetings of different SAARC committees will be held at various venues including Sheraton and Sonargaon hotels, and Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre.
A sub-committee, headed by State Minister of Power Division Iqbal Hasan Mahmood, was formed earlier to arrange uninterrupted power supply during the SAARC summit.
The MPEMR held several meetings with the Foreign Ministry and the Public Works Department (PWD) with Iqbal Hasan Mahmood in the chair regarding electricity supply during the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit.
"Power Division is responsible for supplying electricity to the venues, while the PWD is to look after the internal electricity connections," a senior MPEMR official said.
Chairman of the Power Development Board (PDB) ANH Akhter Hossain said: "Managements of all the power plants have also been asked to maintain uninterrupted power supply and security personnel ordered to beef up security at the plant sites to avoid any untoward incidents or sabotage."
The government has also arranged generators as an alternative source of electricity at all the summit venues in case of sudden power failure, he said.
"We are monitoring the power supply situation constantly to avoid any incident of power disruption during the summit," the PDB top official added.
A special type of electric valve will be used to illuminate the venues immediately after any power failure, power division sources said.