Pabna, July 8 (V7N)- Officials and employees of Pabna Rural Electrification Association-1 are on a full-scale strike for the eighth consecutive day, demanding the unification of the Rural Electrification Board and Rural Electrification Associations with a common service rule and the regularization of contractual and irregular employees.
 
The strike, which began on July 1, is part of a nationwide movement, with Pabna Rural Electrification Association-1 joining in from the morning of the same day. However, emergency customer service and power supply remain unaffected.
 
Protesters allege that the Rural Electrification Association, the sole organization responsible for supplying electricity to remote areas of the country, serves approximately 12 crore people through about 3.7 crore connections. The association's officials and employees work tirelessly, often risking their lives during storms and natural disasters, to provide uninterrupted electricity service. Despite this, around 40,000 officials and employees of the country's 80 Rural Electrification Associations are deprived of fair opportunities and benefits due to the dual policies of the overseeing body, the Rural Electrification Board (BREB).
 
Although employed by the same organization, they face severe disparities in positions, salaries, bonuses, and promotions. Additionally, they suffer from constant harassment due to BREB's inefficiency and substandard materials. The low-quality materials used in distribution lines make it impossible to ensure optimal customer service.
 
It is known that a meeting between the officials and employees of the 80 Rural Electrification Associations and the power division on July 5 ended in failure. As a result, the strike continues for the eighth day on Monday in front of the main office of Pabna Rural Electrification Association-1 in Chatmohar.
 
Their demands include: separating from the Rural Electrification Board (REB) to implement a unified service code, regularizing irregular employees, and ensuring that all linemen work eight hours instead of 24 hours a day. The protesters have stated that the ongoing strike will continue until they receive assurances from the government.
 
The program featured speeches from Pabna Rural Electrification Association-1's Assistant General Manager (IT) Samirul Islam, Assistant General Manager (HR) Kudrat-E-Elahi, Junior Engineer Md. Hasanuzzaman, Line Technician Akhtar Uddin, Billing Assistant Lovely Yasmin, Meter Reader and Messenger Moazzem Hossain, and Line Worker Mehedi Hasan Shuvo, among others.
 
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