Government gives Palli Bidyut workers 24-hour ultimatum to return to work

Protesting workers have announced fresh programmes including a “mass” leave to press for their demands

The interim government has given employees of the Palli Bidyut Samity, who have remained absent from work as part of their protest, 24 hours to return to their workplaces.

The ultimatum came in a statement from the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources on Sunday evening, hours after the workers announced a set of programmes, including a “mass” leave, at a press conference the previous day.

“Uninterrupted electricity supply is an essential service. Any disruption to this service is a punishable offence under the Essential Services (Maintenance) Act,” the ministry said.

“The government is actively working to address the demands of Palli Bidyut Samity employees and remains sensitive to the issue,” it added. “All officials and employees engaged in rural power supply, currently absent under the banner of mass leave, are directed to rejoin their workplaces within 24 hours. Otherwise, legal measures will be taken.”

Earlier in the day, Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said two committees had been formed to resolve the Palli Bidyut issue.

He confirmed that orders had been issued to reinstate transferred staff to their previous posts, along with those who had been suspended temporarily.

“Anti-state forces are fuelling the protests to create instability,” Shafiqul said.

“Work has begun to implement the staff’s demands. The interim government sees no need for work stoppages. If the protests disrupt electricity supply or customer services, the government will be forced to take strict measures,” he added.

At a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Saturday, Anju Rani Malakar, assistant secretary of the Palli Bidyut Association, presented four demands of the protesters. They are:

1. A notification must be issued to merge the Rural Electrification Board and Palli Bidyut Samity or to form a company in line with other distribution agencies, and all contractual/irregular staff (metre readers-cum-messengers, line workers and billing assistants) must be regularised. Cases must be withdrawn and dismissed workers reinstated. Attached and temporarily suspended officials and employees, as well as those unfairly transferred, must be reinstated in line with the report of the power division committee.

2. Dismissal orders for officials and employees harassed, dismissed, or attached since Aug 17, 2025, must be scrapped, with reinstatement to their previous workplaces.

3. Determination of working hours for line crews engaged in emergency services and reinstatement of five line crew members who could not join duty during the Shaheed Minar sit-in.

4. Administrative action against corrupt officials and employees of the Rural Electrification Board in line with regulations.