Palli Bidyut worker abducted, beaten in Chandpur amid load-shedding outrage

Amid intense public resentment over severe load-shedding and inflated electricity bills, a Palli Bidyut worker was abducted, beaten, and held captive for several hours in Faridganz upazila of Chandpur. The incident took place at the Palli Bidyut substation located in Chirka village of the upazila on Tuesday. The power department officials later rescued him with the help of local residents.

According to local sources, linemen Md. Ibrahim and Md. Abdul Kader were on duty at the Chirka substation under the Faridganz Zonal Office of Chandpur Palli Bidyut Samity-2. A group of agitated individuals entered the substation and first assaulted Ibrahim around 10:30am. Later, they forcibly took Abdul Kader to Uttar Dhanua village and kept him confined for several hours.

Palli Bidyut authorities alleged that the attackers beat Abdul Kader, snatched 23,500 Taka from his possession, and smashed his mobile phone. He was later rescued through the mediation of local dignitaries. A written complaint naming four individuals has been filed with the police station regarding the incident.

Local residents complained that hours of unannounced load-shedding have been occurring in the area for a long time. Concurrently, electricity bills have also increased. They stated that they received no satisfactory service even after contacting the complaint center, which led to the widespread public anger.

However, conscious citizens have expressed concern over people taking the law into their own hands despite the legitimate grievances over the power crisis. According to them, blaming field-level workers for weaknesses in electricity service or administrative failures is not a solution. A lineman is not a decision-maker for national power policies; therefore, the power problem cannot be solved by beating or taking them hostage.

On the other hand, stakeholders believe that the allegations made by the locals also need to be investigated with importance. If the complaints regarding inflated bills, illogical load-shedding, or discourteous behavior towards consumers are true, accountability must be ensured, as public dissatisfaction continues to grow when grievances remain unaddressed for a long time.

According to analysts, the incident in Faridganz is not just a criminal offense; it also brings forward questions about accountability in the public service sector, citizen dissatisfaction, and the rule of law. While legal action must be taken against the attackers, an independent investigation is also required regarding the quality of electricity service, the reasons behind load-shedding, and the weaknesses in customer service.