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Form single regulatory body for all utility services

Suggests Dr Akbar AH Khan

UNB, Dhaka
Regulatory Reforms Commission (RRC) Chairman and former finance adviser Dr Akbar All Khan yesterday suggested the government to form a single public utility regulatory commission (PURQ in the place of separate commissions for separate utility services
He said there is no need for separate commissions for separate utility services as all the utilities could come under a single commission.
Dr Khan, also a former cabinet secretary, made the suggestion at the "Energy Consumers' Roundtable' organised jointly by USAID and Improved Capacity for Energy Access flCEA) at Brae Inn auditorium in thecity.
BERC Chairman Ghulam Rahman also spoke at the function.
Acting Mission Director of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Carey Gordon and former power secretary Dr Fouzul Kabir Khan also spoke at the programme.
At present, a number of regulatory commissions are operating .in the country as watchdogs for different utility services.
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is operating for power and energy sector while Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory' Commission (BTRC) for telecom and information sectors.
Another regulatory commission was formed recently for local government bodies while there is a proposal for a regulatory commission for water supply agencies.
Each of the regulatory commissions has separate management with huge establishment cost.
Dr. Akbar Ali Khan, how ever, did not elaborate his suggestion for a single regulatory body
He urged the government to delegate more independence to the existing regulatory commissions so that they could perform more independently.
"If they are given more authorities, it won't be harmful to the government."
The RRC chairman said the BERC was not given due independence during the last caretaker government.
Emphasising on increasing public access to electricity, he said electricity is more necessary than democracy’for the people.
“Because, development cannot take place without
electricity and democracy is meaningless without development.”
Dr Akbar urged the BERC authorities to protect the interests of both the consumers and the investors in the power and energy sector.
Ghulam Rahman said the energy and power sector watchdog body is trying to serve within its legal framework.
He said the BERC will always make efforts to ensure a "just and reasonable price" for the power and energy related products and services.
At the seminar, a number ol presentations were made on the impacts of electricity to the people of rural areas.
It was said that electricity impacted significantly to increase the income and education in rural areas where electricity has reached.