The power and energy ministry, fearing sabotage in power and energy
sector installations, has asked local administrations to increase
vigilance at the sites concerned, officials said.
Although the establishments like power stations and substations,
petroleum oil storage, gas fields and gas transmission switching
stations are treated as key point installations the authorities
concerned have requested the local administrations to increase vigilance
at the sites, they said.
The officials also said that the ministry had asked the power and energy
sector agencies to communicate with the local administrations through
the deputy commissioners to prevent
possible sabotage amid growing political tension and violence.
Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation chairman Md Eunusur Rahman told New
Age, ‘The BPC subsidiaries — Padma, Meghan and Jamuna — have their own
security system employing the Ansar force.’
Besides, he said that the corporation had issued letters asking the
deputy commissioners concerned to increase vigilance at the sites of
fuel oil storages and other sensitive establishments of its subsidiaries
in different districts.
Earlier, two secretaries of energy and power divisions had issued
letters to the deputy commissioners concerned in this regard as attacks
on roads and rail lines increased during blockades and general strikes.
The police on Friday arrested five Jamaat and three Bangladesh
Nationalist Party men on charge of planning to blow up a power office at
Phultala in Khulna.
On February 28, 2013, Jamaat and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists burned
down a power substation at Kansat in Chapainawabganj protesting against
the death sentence of Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Syedee on charge of
crimes against humanity committed during the war of independence in
1971.
The Jamaat and Shibir men also looted the office and residential buildings of the substation.
The arson attack on the substation caused a total loss of about Tk 200
crore to the Rural Electrification Board. It had also kept about 25,000
consumers in dark for over a month and hampered boro irrigation over the
period.
Power Development Board chairman Abduhu Ruhulullah said, ‘Usually the
army units are always deployed for the big power stations. The other
power plants are also secured with proper precaution as all they are key
point installations.’
Besides, the power board alerted the chief engineers and executive
engineers attached with the power plants amid political unrest. (source)