Hasina spurns plans to name solar power plant after her

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vehemently rejected plans to name Bangladesh's largest solar power plant after her.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council or ECNEC greenlighted the construction of the 100MW power plant in Jamalpur's Madarganj on Tuesday, said Planning Minister MA Mannan.

But the pleas by members of the committee to attach Hasina's name to the 'iconic project' fell on deaf ears, according to the minister.

On Hasina's reaction to the proposal to name it 'Sheikh Hasina Solar Park', Mannan said, "The prime minister made it clear that she did not want her name on the project. Then the members politely reminded her about the initiatives she has taken to protect the environment by pursuing solar power."

Hasina, however, did not budge and insisted the name be changed.

“We told her that the name had been approved by Bangabandhu Trust but she then said she would speak to the trust if necessary."

The Awami League chief recommended naming the project 'Solar Power Madarganj' instead, the minister said.

The project is set to be implemented by Rural Power Company Limited by December 2023 at an estimated cost of more than Tk 15 billion. It will mainly be financed by loans from India, while Tk 3.2 billion will come from the government's coffers.

ECNEC approved 10 projects costing around Tk 80 billion on Tuesday. The government will stump up over Tk 66.6 billion for the projects along with Tk 11.88 billion worth of foreign loans.