Outreach: Sylhet, February 2010

The Consumer Outreach Program on "Electricity Regulation and Consumer Rights" is an essential stride to improving the perception regarding energy regulation in Bangladesh.

ICEA local partner LawDev (Bangladesh) facilitated this BERC outreach event with contribution a grassroots organization named READO (Rural Economy & Agricultural Development of Bangladesh). The BERC outreach took place at the school field of the Central Jointa High School in Sylhet on 12 February 2010. For the very first time, the honorable Chairman of BERC, Seyed Yusuf Hossain, attended the outreach program. Moreover representatives from different organizations and people of various phases of that locality participated in the meeting including BERC Member Emdadul Haque, consumer advocates & associates, General Manager & Executive Engineer of PDB, Upazilla Chairman, local mosque imams, principal of local schools, social workers, teachers, students, housewives, local workers, NGOs and newspaper reporters. Almost 300 people attended the program.

The meeting began with a report prepared on the current issues regarding electricity usage in our country, which was delivered by Nasir Uddin Ahmed (Executive Director, READO). Thereafter Mr. Mustafa Kamal (UP Member, Dorbost, Sylhet) gave the welcome speech to commence the discussion session of the meeting. Then, one by one, the common consumers started to raise their voice. Though most of the consumers complained about the unscheduled load shedding system, various other issues were also raised; such as, the non-friendly attitude by the PBS members towards the common consumers, lack of liaison between the authority and the local consumers, non-attending to consumer complaints, and consumer related electricity equipment accidents.

In the later part of the meeting BERC Member Md. Emdadul Haque gave a concise introduction of BERC He mentioned this body as a quasi-judiciary one, which is mainly aimed towards saving the consumers from any illegality of the utility service (power, gas, petroleum etc.) providers.

Md. Saiyad Yusuf Hossain, Chairman of BERC, in his address insisted local consumers to have patience and undergo due process of law in retaining their rights. He also called upon all the participants to be prudent in consuming electricity, and save as much as possible for the greater benefit of the nation. His speech shaded a light of hope on the local consumers to safeguard them from arbitrary actions of power authorities through BERC

It must be mentioned that, more than 50% audience were women. Sylhet being a conservative place, it was very impressive that these women had actually addressed the audience on electricity issues. They were spontaneous, concerned and interested in meaningful protection of their rights as electricity consumers.