Considering public inconvenience and following assurances from the Power Adviser to resolve the crisis through dialogue, officials and employees of the Palli Biddut Association have suspended their ongoing mass leave program.
The information was disclosed in a press release on Friday by Engineer Mahbubur Rahman, Office Secretary of the Bangladesh Rural Power Association.
Expressing trust in the adviser, Rahman urged officials and employees of 80 Rural Electrification Societies across the country to return to their workplaces.
According to the release, the movement began in January 2024 to build a sustainable power distribution system through REB-PBS reforms, aiming to eliminate rural-urban disparities and ensure quality and uninterrupted electricity services.
Despite the government forming multiple committees in response, progress was hindered due to non-cooperation from the Rural Electrification Board (REB).
The statement alleged that whenever PBS officials and employees protested against REB’s mismanagement and corruption, they faced cases, dismissals, suspensions, transfers, and other forms of repression.
Following a 16-day demonstration at the Central Shaheed Minar starting on May 21, 2025, the program was withdrawn on June 5 after a written assurance from the Power Division. Subsequently, on June 17, two committees were formed, but the Association claimed their recommendations were not implemented. Instead, REB allegedly continued harassment and created instability.
Mahbubur Rahman reported that so far, 172 officials and employees have been charged with sedition, 20 imprisoned for long periods, 40 terminated without notice, 87 suspended or reassigned, and around 6,500 subjected to punitive transfers.
Between August 17 and September 4, 2025, eight employees were dismissed without notice, and 28 were suspended with stand-release orders.
On August 31, the Association staged a five-day peaceful sit-in program with four-point demands, but with repression continuing and no solution in sight, the mass leave program was announced on September 7.
The release clarified that despite nearly two years of protests for a unified service code to eliminate professional discrimination, PBS employees never disrupted power supply or customer service. While around 33,000 out of 45,000 officials and employees participated in the mass leave program, substations were kept operational to maintain uninterrupted electricity supply.
It further alleged that REB repeatedly misled the Power Division with inaccurate information, leading to PBS officials being unfairly labeled as “anti-state” or “election disruptors.”
“Those who work tirelessly under the sun, rain, and storms to bring light to 140 million people should not be branded as anti-state,” said Mahbubur Rahman.
He added that the decision to withdraw the mass leave program was taken in response to the Power Adviser’s call and assurance of resolving the issues through dialogue.
“Considering the overall national situation and public suffering, and with confidence in the government and the Honourable Adviser, we declare the suspension of the mass leave program. We call upon all PBS officials and employees to rejoin their workplaces. We hope the government will reflect the trust we have placed in it,” the press release concluded.