Staff Correspondent

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told the parliament that the government has taken a plan to start producing electricity from hydrogen and ammonia by 2035.

“It is expected that it would be possible to use hydrogen energy on pilot basis in the country by 2035,” she said replying to a question from Awami League lawmaker Habibur Rahman (Sylhet-3).

The prime minister said a cell has been formed at the Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL) under Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla) to collect the results of ongoing researches and the data of the activities undertaken in the developed world over sustainable and reliable methods of producing power with hydrogen.

The cell will design a project proposal after receiving reliable information in this regard, she added.

Besides, the PM hoped that the 1,200-megawatt first unit of the 2,400-megawatt Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will go on commercial production by the end of this year.

She said a target has been set to generate 40% electricity from clean energy (renewable) sources by 2041 in the country.

In reply to another question from AL lawmaker Ali Azam (Bhola-2), the premier said the government is committed to ensuring justice on the basis of equality for all, irrespective of the rich and poor, and establishing justice in the society by making visible improvements in the judiciary system.

She said the current government has relentlessly been working to establish the rule of law in the country by providing assurance of fair trial to alleviate the suffering of the people seeking justice.

A total of 1,429 judges were recruited in lower courts since 2009, said Sheikh Hasina.

Responding to ruling party lawmaker Alauddin Ahmed Chowdhury (Feni-1), the PM said a total of 8,67,977 (8.68 lakh) landless and homeless families have been rehabilitated under the Ashrayan project.

She said the total number of beneficiaries is more than 43.39 lakh.

“So far 58 districts and 464 upazilas have been completely freed from the curse of landlessness and homelessness. Five divisions – Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Khulna and Rajshahi – are now completely free of landless and homeless people. That means, there are no landless-homeless people in these districts, upazilas and divisions,” she added.

Answering a question from AL lawmaker SM Ataul Haque (Satkhira-4), the prime minister said the allocation for the social safety sector has been increased by 9.12 times from Tk13,845 crore in the 2008-09 fiscal year to Tk126,272 crore in the current fiscal year of 2023-24, which is 16.58% of the total national budget.