Bangladesh seeks $350m World Bank energy loan

Bangladesh is seeking a loan of more than US$350 million (Dh1.29 billion) from the World Bank to boost its power sector and build gas pipelines, a senior official says. "We are almost in the final stage [of getting the loan approved] and the money will be utilised to implement a number of projects in the energy sector, including setting up a 300-megawatt power plant," said Mohammed Mohsin, the secretary of the government's energy division.

Following a severe power crisis across the country, the World Bank had already committed to a $275m loan, but raised the amount at the request of the Bangladesh government, an official at the bank's Dhaka office said. The country's development partners, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the Japanese government, have agreed to help fund the sector. Bangladesh is facing power shortages of up to 1,500 megawatts each day, and hundreds of factories have been affected. With the additional funds, a 60km pipeline will be built to carry natural gas from the Bakhrabad field to the Siddhirganj power station. An 11km, 230-kilovolt power transmission line will also be built to supply electricity from the power station to Dhaka. * The National Staff and Reuters