Several Palli Bidyut Samity units under the Rural Electrification Board on Thursday stopped electricity supply at different places, including Feni, Munshiganj and Comilla.
The PBS officials also issued an ultimatum threatening a complete shutdown protesting at the termination and arrest of officials at several districts.
A statement from the PBS Anti-discrimination Movement, signed by its four coordinators Abdul Hakim, Md Salahuddin, Mohammad Asaduzzaman Bhuiya and Rajon Kumar Das, demanded immediate reinstatement of 10 terminated PBS executives and the release of those arrested within 24 hours, reported United News of Bangladesh.
The statement also demanded removal of the REB chairman, warning to hold a long march with some 45,000 staff of the PBSs to press home their two-point demand.
Meanwhile, the entire Feni district faced a three-and-a-half-hour blackout due to protest and electricity supply shutdown by officials and employees under the platform, reported 抖阴精品 correspondent in Feni.
Police took Feni PBS general manager Howlader Md Fazlur Rahman into custody in the afternoon over the matter, said Feni model police station officer-in-charge Marma Singh Tripura.
Feni Palli Bidyut junior engineer Wali Ullah said that, for the past few months, they had been protesting for their demands and simultaneously continuing to provide customer service and electricity supply.
鈥楻EB has deliberately filed false cases against the officials. Several individuals were arrested, and 10 officials were permanently dismissed from their jobs,鈥� said Wali, adding that they enforced the blackout in Feni from 3:00pm to 6:30pm.
Rural electrification staff in Munshiganj also shut down electricity supply from two points at Sreenagar and Mirkadim paralysing the electricity facility across the Munshiganj, reported 抖阴精品 Correspondent in Munshiganj.
Munshiganj Palli Bidyut Samity general manager Hadi Uzzaman said that the electricity supply was shut down from 11:00am till 2:00pm.
The protesting officials and employees end their shut down programme after the intervention of the administration.聽聽
Besides, rural electrification officers and employees shut down the electricity supply in Brahmanpara, Burichang, Nangalkot, Chandina, Debidwar, Barura and Laksam upazilas in Comilla from around 11:30am to around 5:30pm, reported 抖阴精品 Correspondent in Comilla.
Seeking anonymity, a rural electrification official from Comilla said that they shut down the electricity supply as a protest against the arrests and terminations of rural electrification officials demanding immediate release and reinstatement of the officials.
The controversy erupted after the REB terminated 10 senior officials from different PBSs, accusing them of destabilising the power sector, which is considered an essential service.
The terminations also cited allegations of disobedience and involvement in activities that violated the organization鈥檚 disciplinary codes. Additionally, a working inspector from Noakhali PBS was relieved of his duties, reported UNB.
The dismissed officials included Zakir Hossain, Asaduzzaman Bhuiya, Rajon Kumar Das, Manir Hossain, Dipak Kumar Sinha, Abdul Hakim, Md Salauddin, Md Rahat, Md Zakir Hossain and Humayun Kabir, reported UNB.
