Advocate Atikur Rahman, central president of the Bangladesh Labour Welfare Federation, demanded cancellation of a decision to privatise six distribution regions of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB). He made the call on Tuesday while speaking as chief guest at a human chain organised by the BPDB Workers-Employees Union in front of the National Press Club. Rahman said electricity is a service sector and the authorities must withdraw from the privatisation decision.

He said those who made the decision would have to answer to the public. Rahman alleged that the move was a conspiracy to award work to the S Alam Group, and questioned the power minister’s role. He urged officials to stop what he described as playing with institutions funded by public taxes. He also warned of a protest encircling the Power Bhaban with ordinary people if inflated bills were collected through “ghost bills.”

The human chain presented eight demands to the government, including modernising existing power companies, ensuring accountability, filling vacant posts quickly, employing eligible dependents of deceased workers, holding CBA elections and implementing the pay scale. Participants also sought permanent jobs for outsourced workers and construction of modern, non-discriminatory residential buildings for board offices.