An allegation has emerged in Chattogram that a government official’s personal resentment led to the disconnection of electricity to another government institution, disrupting public services for more than three and a half hours.
The incident brought administrative activities at the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) office in New Market to a standstill, causing severe inconvenience to hundreds of service seekers. Vehicles were stranded, while a massive traffic jam developed on the Chattogram-Hathazari road.
The electricity connection to the BRTA office was disconnected from the Power Development Board’s (PDB) Sholoshahar substation at around 10:30 am on Thursday (October 29). Power supply was restored at approximately 2 pm.
BRTA Deputy Director Engineer Mohammad Sanaul Haque alleged that the incident was triggered by personal resentment on the part of Mohammad Sanaullah, executive engineer of the PDB’s Sholoshahar division.
According to Sanaul Haque, the PDB official became upset a few days earlier after a vehicle sent by him could not have its registration documents updated at the BRTA office. He alleged that the subsequent power disconnection was an act of personal retaliation.
Sanaul Haque explained that the vehicle had discrepancies involving its iBAS code. Moreover, government rules require project vehicles to be deposited with the Central Transport Pool. As a result, the BRTA could not provide the requested service. He stressed that the matter involved administrative and technical complications, not any personal unwillingness or deliberate non-cooperation.
He further claimed that although the BRTA’s monthly electricity bill exceeded Tk 100,000, the outstanding amount was Tk 83,000. He questioned why the connection had been disconnected without prior notice.
However, PDB Chief Engineer Kamal Uddin Ahmed denied any ulterior motive, saying the connection was disconnected in accordance with regulations because of unpaid electricity bills. He added that power supply was restored after the authorities were informed that the bill would be paid promptly.
Mohammad Sanaullah, executive engineer of the PDB’s Sholoshahar division, also maintained that the disconnection was carried out over unpaid bills. He said repeated reminders had been issued, but the outstanding amount was not settled on time. The connection was restored later, considering the inconvenience caused to service seekers.
According to BRTA sources, hundreds of people arrived at the office on Thursday morning with buses, trucks and other vehicles to update their documents without paying late fees, as it was the final day of the waiver facility.
Operations began normally at 9 am and continued for about an hour and a half. However, the sudden power disconnection brought all administrative activities to a halt. The office’s bank booth also became inoperative, preventing many people from depositing the required fees. Some were forced to leave without completing the process, losing the opportunity to update their vehicle documents without penalties.
Several service seekers were stranded inside the premises with their vehicles, while people who had travelled from distant areas were forced to wait for hours. BRTA officials and employees continued working until around 10 pm on Thursday to complete the paperwork of those who had managed to deposit their fees.
Administrative complications and disagreements between government institutions are not uncommon. However, the incident has raised questions about why ordinary citizens should suffer when disputes arise between public agencies. While outstanding bills must be settled in accordance with regulations, ensuring uninterrupted public services and preventing unnecessary hardship for citizens should remain a priority.
