AL embezzling billions of Taka from power sector

Staff Reporter  :
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has leveled allegations against the ruling Bangladesh Awami League, claiming that they have embezzled billions of Taka from the electricity sector.

“The electricity sector has been chosen for embezzlement, through the Rental-Quick Rental and Capacity Charges.

Several companies directly affiliated with the Awami League are involved in this, benefiting from it. They are looting money from people’s pockets and investing the same abroad,” he said.

Mirza Fakhrul came up with the remarks while addressing a roundtable discussion titled “Unrest in the Country’s Power Sector: Picture of Embezzlement and Anarchy” organised by the BNP affiliated body- Bangladesh Association of Engineers (BAE)- at a city hotel on Monday.

He mentioned that this government has separated the electricity sector to create more opportunities for embezzlement.

“To pay the charges for Quick Rental, Bangladesh will have to repay a loan of Tk 15,000 crore from the next year.

And there is the Capacity Charge, for which approximately Tk 78,000 crore has to be paid every year. This is a dangerous process that will burden Bangladesh with so much debt that it seems unimaginable for us to bear,” the BNP Secretary General said.

“This government has established a regime of embezzlement. The economy is rapidly deteriorating and creating a sense of development illusion,” he mentioned.

Mirza Fakhrul claims that the government aims to make the entire nation dependent and politically submissive.

“The power sector is in a state of mismanagement, and the burden of debt is increasing. Without a change in the government, corruption and malpractice will not end. A movement must have to be waged to its ultimate stage.

To end the politics of embezzlement and mafia, a change in the government is urgent. National unity needs to be established for this purpose,” Fakhrul said.

Quoting the recent incidents of attacks on BNP men, he said that police attacks have begun in various districts as soon as the movement for the restoration of democracy resumed.

“Under police protection, hooligans affiliated with the ruling party have launched attacks, disrupted meetings, and created an atmosphere of terrorism. The Awami League is synonymous with terrorism, and corruption. These two characteristics emerge from the essence of the party,” the Senior BNP leader said.

Regarding the participation in election, Fakhrul said, “Appeals are being made to the BNP for taking part in the elections but at the same time the arrest of leaders and activists of the party is continuing.”

“Cases have been filed against 40 lakh leaders and activists. Such a scenario is unheard of in the world. Under a partisan government, fair elections are impossible. In 1996, present Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself had repeatedly said this. She has now changed her stance.”

“Trickery will not go unnoticed. The people of Bangladesh will not tolerate elections held at night, involving vote theft. There will be no elections without a caretaker government,” he said.

At the beginning of the discussion, the organisation’s Secretary Hasin Ahmed stated that electricity production capacity has increased by 388 percent in the past two decades, while electricity usage has only increased by 176 percent.

Despite this, the government continues to rent power from outside instead of utilizing the increased capacity.

Additionally, there is a capacity charge for the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal for converting the gas into a liquid form. The rent for both terminals amounts to five crore Taka per day.

Furthermore, he also mentioned that the country has a high potential for gas.However, the government is inclined towards imports and has adopted a policy of dependence, neglecting the utilization of domestic resources.

In his presentation, he also highlighted the irregularities of the gas distribution company in Dhaka, Titas, stating that prepaid meter users are charged three times more than what is billed, without the use of meters, by the customers.