Sharifa Begum Sheuli: A press conference of the Rangpur Metropolitan Citizens Committee was held at the Rangpur Sahitya Parishad Hallroom on Thursday (January 9) at 12.30 pm demanding an immediate end to the installation of harassing prepaid meters ignoring public interest and an end to the collection of demand charges, service charges and meter rent every month. Rangpur Metropolitan Citizens Committee member secretary and former student leader Advocate Palash Kanti Nag read out a written statement at the press conference. Rangpur Metropolitan Citizens Committee members Bir Muktijoddha Shahadat Hossain, Bir Muktijoddha Nipendra Nath Roy, Advocate Khairul Islam Bappi, cultural activist Nasir Suman, labor leaders Redwan Ferdous, Sabuj Roy, Subhash Roy, Mahfuz Hossain and others were present at the time. In a written statement at the press conference, it was said that the electricity distribution company Northern Electricity Power Supply Company (NESCO) has started the prepaid meter connection program in various houses, shops, offices and business establishments of Rangpur city. Before taking and implementing a decision on such an important issue, the NESCO authorities should have taken the opinions of electricity customers or organized a public hearing. But without considering public opinion, the NESCO authorities are unilaterally trying to impose their decision on electricity customers in a coercive manner. In the prepaid meter system, customers have to purchase electricity by paying money in advance. As long as there is money in the prepaid card, they can use electricity. Which is contrary to the concept of the service sector. According to Section 56 of the Electricity Act 2003, if the customers want to disconnect the electricity connection, the company has to give 15 days’ notice. But as soon as the recharged money of this prepaid meter card runs out, the connection will be disconnected. Which is contrary to the Electricity Act. A writ petition is pending in the High Court Division to stop the installation of harassing prepaid meters. Before the matter is resolved, NESCO authorities are hastily working on connecting these prepaid meters.
The decision to connect this prepaid meter was made during the previous Awami League government. At that time, this prepaid meter business was under the exclusive control of a clique known as the brothers of State Minister for Electricity, Energy and Mineral Resources Nazrul Hamid Bipu. Two government electricity supply companies are active in providing the clique with the work of supplying about 1.5 million meters. For this, such conditions have been added to the tender so that that specific institution gets the benefit. Tenders were invited in July to buy 800,000 meters for NESCO in 16 districts of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions. In that continuation, the work of installing this prepaid meter is now underway. 1 lakh 6 thousand crore taka has been embezzled in the last 15 years in the name of capacity charge. There are even allegations of smuggling 5 billion taka abroad against the business syndicate in the name of smart prepaid electricity meters. Through this controversial prepaid meter connection, the customers will suffer 30% financial loss and suffering due to meter rent and surcharge.
For every recharge of 1,000 taka on a prepaid meter, an agent commission of 20 taka will have to be paid. Customers will have to pay 40 taka for meter rent every month. It is unclear for how long this rent will have to be paid. Although customers have already purchased analog and digital meters with their own money, the electricity department has not paid any money for it. How many units of electricity can customers use for every 1,000 taka recharge? There are no clear instructions on how commercial and residential rates will be determined. If the balance on a prepaid meter is exhausted, customers will have to pay interest at the rate of 200/- taka and 50/- taka for emergency balance. If the prepaid meter is locked for any reason, 600/- taka will have to be deposited to open the lock. Sometimes the electricity flow stops automatically due to electricity overload. There are also complaints that money is deducted immediately after recharging these prepaid meters. Recharging cannot be done if there is no electricity and internet here. The irrigation pumps used in agriculture use electricity at the beginning of the season. Farmers pay for the rest by selling the crops. Currently, this prepaid meter system no longer provides that opportunity. In addition, if prepaid meters are installed, thousands of employees of the electricity department will have to lose their jobs and sit on the streets.
In this prepaid meter system, if the server goes down for any reason, there is no alternative arrangement for the prepaid meter customers under that server. Therefore, until the server is operational, the customers will be immersed in darkness. Above all, this prepaid meter will cause new harassment and suffering to the customers. It was also said in the press conference that during the previous Sheikh Hasina government’s rule, electricity prices were increased in stages. Thousands of crores of taka have been embezzled in the electricity sector in the name of rental-quick rental. Private companies have taken 51 thousand 157 crore taka in the last 10 years without generating electricity. The general public has had to pay the price for this. It is the responsibility of the state to bring all the people of the country under the umbrella of uninterrupted electricity service. However, instead of that, one anti-people decision after another is being imposed on the people. The press conference called for an immediate end to the installation of harassing prepaid meters ignoring public interest, a cessation of monthly demand charges, service charges and meter rent, refraining from taking decisions on matters related to the interests of consumers without public hearings, preventing electricity price hikes and ensuring uninterrupted electricity facilities. He demanded the publication of a white paper on irregularities and corruption in the power sector during the previous government’s tenure, effective steps by the interim government’s Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Advisor to eliminate bribery, corruption and mismanagement and develop the Power Department into a truly service-oriented institution.
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