Regional Correspondent
An indiscriminate stealing of transformers from electric poles of Rural Electrification Board under Godagari upazila is threatening the supply of electricity in the villages of the upazila.
According to sources at least 32 transformers have so far been stolen during the last five months in the upazila. REB has so far filed four cases, Barind Multipurpose Development Authority has filed 11 cases and local farmers have filed three cases with Godagari police station in this connection. But, the stealing of the transformers is continuing unabated.
Sources further informed that all those 32 transformers were stolen from various places of Manduilpara areas of Rishikul union and Kakonhat and Mohadevpur areas of the upazila.
Ziaul Haque, Deputy General Manager of REB, Kakonhat zone informed four cases have been filed from the REB in connection with the theft of the transformers. He further said REB authorities have also organised meetings, seminars and announced the incident through microphones to make the local villagers aware of stealing of the transformers and to check those through concerted effort. Even the local deep tubewell operators, public representatives, and political leaders have been asked to cooperate in this connection. But, by no way, the stealing of the transformers is being checked.
He further mentioned, considering the plight of the electric consumers, the transformer has soon been replaced at the place of the poles from where it was stolen.
Abdul Khaleque, Sub-Assistant Egineer of BMDA, Kakonhat zone informed a total of 11 cases have been filed by BMDA in connection with the stealing of the transformers. But, police are yet to arrest the thieves. As a result, the stealing of the transformers could not be checked. Officer-in-charge of Godagari police station Kamrul Islam informed electric transformers are being stolen not only from Godagari upazila but also from Tanore and several upazilas of Chapainawabganj districts. He hoped to arrest the thieves involved in stealing the transformers as soon as possible.
It is learnt, after stealing the electric transformers from over the electric poles, the thieves dismantled those transformers and escaped with the valuable copper coil from inside the transformers.
