The Crime Desk: Around 40,000 officers and employees of 80 rural electricity societies across the country are on strike for the third consecutive day.
They are carrying out this program for an indefinite period to demand the implementation of uniform employment rules along with the elimination of discrimination between the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) and the Rural Electricity Association (PBIS).
The agitators said that they will continue the program as there has been no response from the government or the appropriate authorities regarding their demands. This organization, specialized in government, serves consumers at the marginal level to deliver 100% electrification and uninterrupted power service in the country. The program is being carried out in a peaceful manner by keeping the emergency power service on.
Officials and employees said that even if they work in the same organization, there is a big difference in the opportunities, job security, and assurance of the officers and employees of the Rural Electrification Board and Rural Electricity Association.
Officers and employees of the association are discriminated against in all aspects, including post, designation, promotion, pay grade, weekly leave, regular and contractual appointments in the same post in the same organization, and shortage of manpower.
Although these discriminations have been reported in writing for a long time, no remedy is available. On the other hand, when these rights are mentioned, they are harassed in various ways.
Even after the start of the movement, the agitating officers and employees complained that they were being intimidated and pressured to stop the movement.
In the press release, they said that due to duplicity and inefficiency of the Rural Electrification Board, the purchase of low-quality goods, and a massive shortage of manpower, about 3.5 crore consumers are being deprived of uninterrupted power supply.
About 40,000 officers and employees of 80 rural electricity societies in the country are being deprived of various facilities as well as customers. Even if they work in the same organization, they have been subjected to extreme discrimination in terms of rank, salary, bonus, and promotion.
These officers and workers have played a leading role in the implementation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s initiative to install electricity from house to house. However, about 40,000 officers and employees of the country’s 80 Rural Electricity Associations, who work at the risk of any calamity due to sun and rain storms, are victims of violence in their own homes. Officers and employees are angry with BREB’s careless behavior.
By removing their existing disparities, Bapbibo and Pobis operate with the with the same service code, a 5 percent incentive effective from July 23; 400 units of electricity bill allowance; two days of weekly holiday; fixed working hours; overtime/disturbance allowance for additional work; medical allowance; and harassment in the name of audit. They want to implement all government facilities, including closures, equally for associations like BREB.
