Bangladesh
Kutubdia Electricity reaches remote island of Kutubdia
Dhaka, July 22: In the remote island of Kutubdia, many people have seen ice cream for the first time in their life along with various facilities under the light of electricity. Maternity mothers no longer have to risk crossing the sea, caesarean delivery is done at the upazila hospital.
Two months ago, after the start of electricity supply from the national grid to Kutubdia upazila of Cox's Bazar through submarine cable, there have been many changes in the life of the people there. Moreover, the local residents said that there has been a great development in the socio-economic and economic aspects of the area.
A 33 KV river crossing line has been constructed from Matarbari in Maheshkhali of Cox's Bazar to Magnama Ghat. From there, electricity is being supplied to Qutubdia by constructing a five kilometer double circuit submarine line with fiber optic under the sea. A two kilometer distribution line has been constructed in Qutubdia to provide electricity at the consumer level.
In order to bring 100 percent of the population under electricity facilities in 2020, the government has undertaken the project of '100 percent reliable and sustainable electrification of Hatia Island, Nijhum Island and Kutubdia Island' at a cost of about Tk 400 crore. The project has a tenure till June 2023. Submarine cables have been used since there is no possibility of supplying power through the construction of normal lines to Kutubdia Island, which is isolated from the mainland. Although it is expensive, the government has taken initiatives to bring hundreds of people under the electricity facility.
A 33 KV river crossing line has been constructed from Matarbari in Maheshkhali of Cox's Bazar to Magnama Ghat. From there, electricity is supplied to Kutubdia by constructing a five-km double-circuit submarine line with fiber optic under the sea. A two kilometer distribution line has been constructed in Qutubdia to provide electricity at the consumer level.
About 200,000 people live in an area of about 100 square kilometers of the island. Here in 1980 electricity system was started for a few hours in the evening for about 600 customers through generators. However, the power supply was cut off in the 1991 cyclone when power poles were broken. After that, PDB supplies power in short form at various times.
People's standard of living in Kutubdia was prosperous for hundred years, but overall development was deprived due to lack of electricity. Even after five decades of independence, no government has thought about the people here. Nowadays, the quality of life of the people here has changed due to the availability of electricity. There is a touch of change in all areas. Electricity was once a dream for the people of Kutubdia. That dream is now a reality.
