Electricity theft alleged in Goalando by dishonest people from West Zone Power Distribution
Moynul Haque Mridha, Rajbari
There have been allegations of electricity theft in various homes and institutions with the help of some unscrupulous individuals from the West Zone Power Distribution (OZOPDICO) office in Goalanda, Rajbari.
Even though they are not office staff, external workers are being made to work and immoral benefits are being obtained from them.
Although raids are conducted occasionally based on complaints from locals, complaints of electricity theft are being received frequently.
It is learnt that on June 24, a customer from the area adjacent to Goalanda Kamrul Islam College was fined 110,000 taka and his electricity connection was disconnected on charges of tampering with electricity using artificial methods. The accused customer is Jahangir Hossain Chowdhury. Jahangir Chowdhury, in collusion with some dishonest officials and employees of the Goalanda Residential Engineer's Office of the Electricity Department, had been illegally connecting to his house for a long time and using various types of equipment including AC, television, refrigerator.
Local people realized this and informed the higher authorities of the Electricity Department. On June 24, a delegation of the Electricity Department conducted a raid on Jahangir Chowdhury's house and found evidence of electricity theft and he was fined 110,000 taka after he confessed to the crime.
Abdul Biswas, a farmer from Notun Para in Ujanchar Union, said that he recently applied to the electricity department to get a connection to plant Boro rice. Even after fulfilling the conditions, he demanded 20,000 taka from outside workers to provide the connection.
After paying 15,000 taka through the court, his connection was provided. Because of this, he could not plant Boro rice on time.
Yunus Sheikh, a daily wage worker from Badiuzzaman Para of the municipality, said that despite not being able to afford it, he applied for an electricity connection with great difficulty to save some money to meet the demands of his children. After fulfilling the conditions, he was unable to pay the additional money as demanded, and was detained for a week on various pretexts. Later, after paying 5,000 taka, his house was connected. In addition, there are allegations that electricity bills are being prepared in the office without checking the meter at home.
Ojopadiko Goalanda's resident engineer Md. Moniruzzaman said that meter tampering is a punishable offense under the law. According to the Electricity Act 2018, the accused can be punished with three years of imprisonment or a fine of Tk 5 lakh, or both. The accused customer Jahangir Chowdhury was fined Tk 110,000 on this charge.
