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The Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) has formulated an ambitious strategic roadmap to generate 10 million employment opportunities across the country over the next five years, alongside comprehensive government initiatives to elevate national solar power generation to 5,000 megawatts.
The initiatives were highlighted by Prime Minister’s Finance and Planning Adviser Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir on Saturday during a media briefing held at the Planning Commission in the capital’s Agargaon, following a high-level strategic meeting on the 180-day action plan with top executives of 22 state-funded foundations. Outlining the government's transition away from import-dependent fossil fuels, Finance and Planning Adviser Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir stated:
"The prevailing energy and power crisis is an inheritance from the past 17 years of governance driven by import-reliant energy structures. Rather than concealing the crisis, the government is pursuing sustainable, long-term solutions by shifting decisively toward solar and renewable energy to bolster energy security and minimize production costs. Over the last six months, 200 megawatts of solar power have been integrated into the national grid, with plans underway to scale this to 5,000 megawatts within the next five years."
The adviser outlined innovative financing models aimed at transforming regular power consumers into producers through simplified net-metering systems supported by entities like IDCOL and BIFFL. Under this framework, 20 percent of costs will be borne by the user, 20 percent by an aggregator, and the remaining 60 percent financed through government loans with concessional interest rates capped at 6 to 7 percent.
Confirming PKSF's pivotal role in large-scale employment generation, Managing Director Md. Fazlul Kader stated, "PKSF has undertaken a comprehensive plan to create 10 million jobs over the next five years by enhancing enterprise capabilities, mitigating risk factors, and extending vital financing to micro, cottage, and small industries. A refinancing agreement worth Tk 5,000 crore has already been concluded with Bangladesh Bank, with additional resources slated to be mobilized through partner organizations and state budgetary support."
The meeting resolved that all 22 state-funded foundations will focus operations across five core thematic clusters: 'One Village, One Product' (OVOP), solar energy expansion, healthcare services, universal social protection, and new employment generation—with job creation metrics subject to independent evaluation by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED).
Photo: Prime Minister's Finance and Planning Adviser Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir presiding over a strategic planning session with heads of state-funded foundations at the Planning Commission in Agargaon (Collected).
https://thedailyexpress.news/news/business/1f1a3c56-ec93-6180-b5e4-eb19ab94c10f