Md. Mafiz Uddin Sarker, Rangpur

The meeting in the conference room of the Rangpur DC office was disrupted after a huge chaos over the use of Bangabandhu's picture along with the Mujib Barsho centenary logo in the presentation of the view exchange meeting on the installation of pre-payment meters by Northern Electricity Supply NESCO. The participants present in the meeting room protested strongly and said that the administration is trying to implement the plan to rehabilitate fascism in a planned manner.

The Deputy Commissioner said that the installation of pre-payment meters in Rangpur will be stopped until this issue is resolved. A written complaint will be filed against the responsible officer for taking action in this regard. In the meantime, NESCO has expressed regret and announced the formation of an investigation committee.

Meanwhile, Rangpur has been protesting for a week, demanding that the installation of pre-payment meters be stopped, highlighting various inconsistencies. NESCO gave a seven-day ultimatum to fulfill the demands of the blockade on Sunday. Ignoring all the demands, NESCO has started the work of installing these meters in different places. In such a situation, NESCO organized a meeting with stakeholders on the issue at 11:15 am on Monday at the Rangpur DC office hall. First, the president of the meeting, DC Mohammad Rabiul Faisal, delivered a welcome speech.

Then, the organizer, NESCO Rangpur Chief Engineer Ashraful Islam Mandal, announced that the project's executive engineer, Saidul Mursalin, would give a presentation on the smart prepayment meter installation project in the areas under NESCO in Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions. As soon as he started the presentation, a paper with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's picture and the Mujiborsh logo appeared on the screen. As soon as it was seen, the entire hall erupted in protest. The organizers also turned off the laptops and LED screens. A huge commotion began. The leaders of the National Citizens Committee, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the movement associated with the cancellation of the pre-payment meter installation project who were present there strongly protested. They referred to this incident as a planned design for the rehabilitation of fascism.

Imtiaz Ahmed Imti, convener of the Rangpur Metropolitan Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said, "They have challenged this interim government and the mass uprising of 24 by using the Mujibist logo of Mujib Year in the presentation of the opinion exchange meeting on the installation of NESCO pre-payment meters. This is not a mistake, it is pre-planned. They benefit from Mujibism fascism. They want to promote the fascist Hasina. All the fascist officials of NESCO must be removed. The corruption of various projects must be investigated. The officials concerned must be permanently dismissed and punished. Otherwise, we will be forced to take to the field.

Rangpur National Citizens Committee organizer Alamgir Nayan said, NESCO has tried to restore Mujibabad in the meeting in a clever way. NESCO's chief engineer, who was the only presenter, and everyone else is involved in this. He must be removed quickly. At this time, he said to the Deputy Commissioner, of course, the DC must be aware of these issues. Such incidents are happening again and again. This is shortening our 24-day movement. Advocate Palash Kanti Nag, member secretary of the Metropolitan Citizens Committee, said, using Bangabandhu's logo in the presentation on pre-paid meters proves that the ghosts of the fascist government are still lurking in NESCO. We demand punishment for the officials involved in such activities.

Meanwhile, when faced with protests, the organizers folded everything and went into hiding. Later, NESCO informed the investigation committee. The Deputy Commissioner said that the work on this project will be stopped until this incident is resolved. NESCO Rangpur Chief Engineer Ashraful Islam Mondal said, "This incident is unexpected and I express my regret. We will form an investigation committee to find out how this happened and take action against those involved.