Akbar Ali suggests a single regulator for all utilities
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Regulatory Reforms Commission (RRC) chairman and former finance adviser Dr Akbar Ali Khan Tuesday suggested the government to form a single public utility regulatory commission (PURC) in the place of separate commissions for separate utility services, reports UNB.
He said there is no need for separate commissions for separate utility services, as all the utilities can come under a single commission.
Dr Khan, also a former cabinet secretary, made the suggestion at the "Energy Consumers Roundtable", organised jointly by USAID and Improved Capacity for Energy Access (ICEA) at Brac Inn Auditorium in the city. BERC chairman Ghulam Rahman also spoke at the function.
Acting Mission Director of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Carey Gordon and former power secretary Dr Fouzul Kabir Khan also spoke at the programme.
At present, a number of regulatory commissions are operating in the country as watchdogs for different utility services.
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is operating for power and energy sector, while Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC) for telecom and information sectors.
Another regulatory commission has been formed recently for local government bodies, while there is a proposal for a regulatory commission for water supply agencies. Each of the regulatory commissions has separate management with huge establishment cost.
Dr Akbar Ali Khan, however, did not elaborate his suggestion for a single regulatory body.
He urged the government to offer more freedom to the existing regulatory commissions so that they can perform more independently. "If they are given more authorities, it won't be harmful to the government."
The RRC chairman said the BERC was not given due freedom during the last caretaker government.
Emphasising increasing public access to electricity, he said electricity is more necessary than democracy for the people. "Because, development cannot take place without electricity, and democracy is meaningless without development."
Dr Akbar Ali Khan urged the BERC authorities to protect the interests of both the consumers and the investors in the power and energy sector.
He said there is no need for separate commissions for separate utility services, as all the utilities can come under a single commission.
Dr Khan, also a former cabinet secretary, made the suggestion at the "Energy Consumers Roundtable", organised jointly by USAID and Improved Capacity for Energy Access (ICEA) at Brac Inn Auditorium in the city. BERC chairman Ghulam Rahman also spoke at the function.
Acting Mission Director of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Carey Gordon and former power secretary Dr Fouzul Kabir Khan also spoke at the programme.
At present, a number of regulatory commissions are operating in the country as watchdogs for different utility services.
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is operating for power and energy sector, while Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC) for telecom and information sectors.
Another regulatory commission has been formed recently for local government bodies, while there is a proposal for a regulatory commission for water supply agencies. Each of the regulatory commissions has separate management with huge establishment cost.
Dr Akbar Ali Khan, however, did not elaborate his suggestion for a single regulatory body.
He urged the government to offer more freedom to the existing regulatory commissions so that they can perform more independently. "If they are given more authorities, it won't be harmful to the government."
The RRC chairman said the BERC was not given due freedom during the last caretaker government.
Emphasising increasing public access to electricity, he said electricity is more necessary than democracy for the people. "Because, development cannot take place without electricity, and democracy is meaningless without development."
Dr Akbar Ali Khan urged the BERC authorities to protect the interests of both the consumers and the investors in the power and energy sector.