38 pc clients bribe officials for power in Jhenidah
TIB survey says
Azibor Rahman and Hossain Seraj, Magura
At least 38.2 per cent subscribers in Jhenidah Sadar upazila have to bribe officials of Power Development Board (PDB) and Rural Electrification Board (REB) to get power connection to their residences or business establishments. Fifty-four per cent of the subscribers do not get proper attention by officials despite complaints about problems, according to a survey by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). The survey done recently by Sacheton Nagorik Committee, affiliated with TIB, covered 500 families in Jhenidah Sadar upazila, according to TIB sources. On an average, a PDB subscriber has to bribe officials Tk 749 to get power connection. A REB subscriber has to pay Tk 579 as bribe for the same purpose, the report claimed. TIB suggested a 13-point recommendation to ensure better service to subscribers. These include introduction of complaint boxes and formation of monitoring cells at PDB REB offices.
| 
