After 16 days of continuous protest, officials and employees of the Palli Bidyut Samities (PBSs) have suspended their movement based on a written assurance from the Power Division.
The announcement came Thursday afternoon from the President of the Bangladesh Palli Bidyut Association, Engineer Tajul Islam, at a gathering at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka.
Tajul Islam stated that the Power Division written commitment acknowledges the legitimacy of the protesters’ seven-point demands and promises to address them with the highest priority.
In consideration of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha and the importance of ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply and minimising public inconvenience, the protest, including the sit-in and work stoppage, has been temporarily called off.
Present during the announcement were Power Division deputy secretaries, Md. Solaiman and Farzana Khanom. Political leaders such as Gonosonghoti Andolon’s Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki, senior joint convener of the National Citizens’ Party and CP, Ariful Islam Adib, and representatives from various other parties including Niaz Morshed and Abu Abdullah Sajib Wafi, also attended the event in solidarity.
Tajul Islam added that the Chief Adviser’s Energy Advisor, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, assured the protesters that no punitive actions would be taken against any employee involved in the movement and encouraged all to return to work without fear.
In light of the overall situation, the association urged all officials and staff across the country to resume duties as per the collective decision of all stakeholders.
Highlighting the long-standing issues, Tajul Islam mentioned that the employees had been peacefully protesting for over one and a half years against discrimination, administrative repression, poor-quality equipment procurement that leads to consumer suffering, and corruption within the REB.
Most recently, over 45,000 employees from 80 REB units across the country took part in the sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar to press for the seven-point demand.
Following a meeting with Power Division Secretary Farzana Momtaz and other senior officials, the association received a positive response. On Thursday, a formal office order was issued promising solutions and timely implementation of their demands, which led to the suspension of the protest.
It is worth noting that the protest, which began on May 21, centered around seven key demands, including the merger of the REB and Rural Electrification Societies under a unified service code, withdrawal of all legal cases, and the resignation of the current chairman.