NEWS reports in a national daily on Saturday said electricity supply companies such as Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) and Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) are realizing extra fees for almost all services from customers. These services were earlier part and parcel of the utility services at free of cost. But the companies in their separate bids are charging extra fees now for services like disconnecting and reconnecting electricity lines to customers, fuse call-charge, repairing electric wire, examining, installing or changing meters, reprint bill etc. It appears that the companies are realizing extra charges without approval of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC); which is the apex disciplinary body to protect the stakeholders’ interest by holding hearing. As it appears, BERC often goes by the government corporate interest, but at least it takes the hearing to bring consumers and suppliers closer to an understanding. But in the present situation, the electricity supply companies are silently realizing charges raising questions about the legality of their action. They can’t do it ignoring BERC’s prior approval. The big question hinges on what role the Ministry of Energy and Power is playing behind it. There is no possibility that these companies would act without the consent of the concerned authorities. And that leads many to wonder whether the Ministry is allowing the companies to slice consumers and make them tolerant with the extra burden before it advises them to take the issue to BERC for approval. Under the new system, the electricity companies are asking clients to deposit the service charges at certain rates to banks and produce the slip to their local employees to get the necessary services. But since it is highly troublesome, these employees themselves are coming with the solution asking clients to put up some money into their hand and get the job done quickly. It is opening a new window for corruption in which customers would pay lower rates but the money would not go to banks but to electricity supply officials from top to bottom. What people may fear is that the introduction of the new system will not only start rolling a bloodsucking revenue system for electricity, handing over household and corporate clients to endless exploitation of company employees at the field level. It would also put rural electricity consumers into troubles. The companies reportedly trying to justify the realization of extra charges saying nothing can go free of cost. But it must be understood that the per unit electricity cost includes the delivery cost as well and the service costs never came under questioning. The nation know that the power sector is the den of corruption and money laundering at all level from unsolicited power plant bidding to fuel subsidy to private power producers who are minting unearned money at the expense of consumers. It is advisable that enough is enough and the authorities now must stop handing over further load of electricity bills on to consumers. The government has to care how much financial burden the people can carry. If the cost of public utility services is too high that will help people to take the advantage of corruption.
