Criticising sections of people perceiving the interim government as ‘soft to illogical demands’, power, energy, and mineral resources adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan claimed on Sunday that the incumbent government is the strongest in the history of independent Bangladesh.
‘Except for the Bangladesh government during the 1971 War of Independence, the incumbent is the only one that has emerged after thousands of people sacrificed their lives and many more suffered injuries. This government has gained the support of the masses. Therefore, there exists no reason to assume that this government will give in to illogical demands,’ he told journalists at a Dhaka hotel.
He stated that any citizen could present demands to the government, but they must understand that results cannot be expected overnight.
Talking about some employees of the Palli Bidyut Samity (PBS) regarding their demands for a merger of PBS and the Rural Electrification Board and the regularisation of ad hoc staff, Fouzul said, ‘The government is examining the pros and cons of their demands. There are financial issues involved, so a decision will not be made immediately.’
He continued, ‘However, they are pushing for an immediate decision. Some of them have illegally shut down substations. This is not a light switch which can be turned on or off at the whim of a homeowner. According to REB and PBS laws, these installations are considered essential services, and if the employees in charge abandon these substations intentionally, they will lose their jobs permanently.’
Citing electricity supply as a constitutional responsibility of the government, he said, ‘We will take every necessary step to keep the power installations operational. All divisional and deputy commissioners, along with law enforcement officials, have been instructed to secure the power substations. To maintain operations, the necessary manpower is ready to replace those who neglect their duties, and the government will take legal action against unruly employees.’
