It’s not an accident, but simple negligence: Energy advisor on electric shock during repair work

It’s not an accident, it’s total negligence and irresponsibility, Energy, Power and Mineral Resources Advisor Fouzul Kabir Khan has said in connection with the recent incident of electric shock during power line repair work that left one person dead and two others seriously injured .

Asking why the power supply was turned on while the repair work was going on, he said strict action would be taken against all those involved.

He added that as per a press release issued today (October 25), Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) and the contractor cannot escape responsibility for the incident.

Earlier, Fouzul visited the Maniknagar area where the incident occurred and issued instructions to quickly establish the cause of the accident.

He also visited two injured people at the burn ward of Dhaka Medical College Hospital and directed the hospital authorities to make every effort to provide them with proper treatment. He also asked the DPDC to appoint a person to supervise affairs at the hospital.

In a conversation with the victims’ families, the adviser said that the interim government would provide them with all possible support. He ordered immediate payment of Tk 5 lakh to the family of the deceased, Tk 2 lakh to the seriously injured and Tk 1 lakh to the injured.

He said the government would also cover all medical expenses for the two injured people.

On October 21, an electrician was killed and two others injured in the capital Maniknagar due to electric shock while replacing a high-voltage cable used to transmit high-voltage power.

The deceased was identified as line worker (foreman) Nabir Hossain. The injured were Masum Mia and Rabiul Islam.

Nabir worked with Moon Power Engineering, the one-year contractor of DPDC Maniknagar unit.