People not much aware of tribunal for energy sector
The government has set up a tribunal at Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) to speed up settlement of energy-related cases but people do not know much about the special court, its judges said.
The government formed the tribunal in April last year and appointed three members including a chairman.
“The courts are not accepting any energy related cases now. Even if someone goes to courts with a complaint the case is referred to the tribunal,” Prof Salim Mahmud, chairman of the tribunal, told reporters at a media briefing at the BERC in the capital yesterday.
“Now nobody will have to go through the existing court system. Henceforth, the cases will be settled quickly at the tribunal.”
The tribunal organised the briefing to raise awareness among consumers, service holders and licencees.
Tribunal members M Emdadul Haque and Md Mokhlesur Rahman Khandker also spoke.
Since inception, the tribunal has received 95 cases. More than 95 percent of the cases have been referred by the courts, said Mahmud, who had served BERC as its member for seven years before taking up the new position.
“The consumers, service providers and licencees still do not know much about the tribunal,” he said.
Aggrieved people can come to the BERC if they are not happy with the order, technically known as award, from the tribunal. The commission's decision is final, said Mahmud.
He said the good thing about the tribunal is that it is run by experts and it is a specialised court dealing with the specialised sector.
Of the cases received so far, most are related to disconnecting power and gas connections, ghost bills and disputes between Bangladesh Power Development Board and rental and quick rental power plants.
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