The Power Division has grabbed the first position while the Energy and Mineral Resources has ranked third in the implementation of the Annual Performance Agreement (APA) with the government for the financial year-2022-2023. Congratulating both the Divisions of the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said that they have to improve the quality of their services further for the power and energy consumers. Editors' Council condemns attacks on journalists “You have to reach the services to the doorstep of the customers”, he told the officials of the two divisions. He said it is essential to take up a pragmatic action plan to explore the primary sources of energy. There should be coordination between the power distribution and transmission segments. ILO Governing Body to hold 349th session in Geneva from Oct 30 to Nov 11 Urging continuation of the team efforts, he said making prompt decisions can yield good results in the performance. It is mentionable that among the 52 ministries and divisions of the government the Power Division obtained 99.96 marks out of 100 in the APA implementation to become the first entity in the ranking while Energy and Mineral Resources Division received 99.43 marks to become third. Several restaurants, including Bangladeshi-owned, in the UK losing license for employing undocumented workers  According to the ministry, the point analysis showed that the Power Division obtained 70 marks out of 70 in its own activities while it got 29.96 marks out of 30 in the case of good governance and reforms related activities.

Bangladesh’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) operators are likely to get one-stop service (OSS) in receiving different licenses from various agencies which will ultimately play a vital role in reducing their operational costs. According to official sources, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division will initiate a move for introducing such OSS as part of ease of doing business ethics to promote and smoothen the growing business in the LPG sector. "We will introduce the OSS like the one in the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) system to bring all the services under one umbrella,” said Anisur Rahman, senior secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division. Also read: Introduce tracking system for LPG, CNG cylinders: Nasrul Hamid He said this OSS will be introduced within six months. “If necessary, we’ll place the issue at the top level of the government.” At present, the LPG operators have to take permission from various administrative and licensing bodies, including Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC). In some cases, the operators have to move up to 21 offices from a district-level administration to ministry-level office, said Jakaria Jalal, head of marketing of Bashundhara LPG, a leading operator. Read Private companies’ 12kg LPG price re-fixed at Tk 906 Industry insiders and consumers right groups said multiple regulators in the energy sector have made the services costlier for both the operators and the consumers, casting a big impact on the tariff, especially in the LPG and CNG businesses. “Consumers have to bear the brunt of huge amounts paid in fees annually by the business operators,” said an energy expert. President of LPG Operators of Bangladesh (LOAB) Azam J Chowdhury at a recent seminar said any bulk liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) business operator has to pay annually about Tk 13.5 million (1.35 crore) in total to 13 regulatory bodies to obtain licenses or to renew them for business. Also read: LPG distribution launched by UN partners in Cox’s Bazar The licensing bodies and the amount of their fees are Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Tk 35,65,000, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) (proposed) Tk 25,00,000, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Tk 40,000, Department of Environment (DoE) Tk 205,000, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) Tk 12,04,158, Department of Explosives Tk 116,000, Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense (BFSCD) Tk 120,000, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Tk 25,00,000, and city corporation/local government body Tk 93,760. The other bodies and their fees include Department of Inspection of Factories and Establishment (DIFE) Tk 320,000, Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports (CCI and E) Tk 61,000, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Tk 10,350 and Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC and F) Tk 27,60,000 (assuming an authorised capital Tk 3 billion or 300 crore). During a public hearing recently held by the BERC, officials of large six private LPG companies also raised the issues and demanded a single regulatory authority to monitor their business and introduction of a one-stop service at the prime regulator's office. Read LPG operators to get services under one roof soon Hasin Pervez, a leader of the Bangladesh CNG Filling Stations and Conversion Workshop Owners Association, brought a similar allegation saying that they have to pay fees to 22 bodies to take licenses for LPG and CNG business. "The most bothersome part, in this case, is that there’s no serial to maintain in seeking licenses or permission from among the bodies like deputy commissioner (DC) office, BPC, or any other authority," he said. Once anybody applies to the DC office, its officials ask the applicant to take licenses from other agencies first and then apply, he added. Read Omera LPG introduces home delivery services in lockdown Hasin Pervez noted that when applications are filed to other authorities, they direct to bring the DC Office's permission first and then apply to them. Echoing the allegation, Prof Shamsul Alam, an adviser to the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said the consumer rights body will also prefer a single regulator in the energy sector. "We're of the same opinion that multiple regulatory bodies only create complications in business and enhance costs which cast an impact on the energy tariff, and finally consumers have to pay the price," he said. Read LPG terminal project at Matarbari to get consultant Backing their views, former member of the BERC Mizanur Rahman said there should be a single and prime regulatory authority with one stop service facilities that will coordinate with other government agencies. He said the BERC has already simplified some of the processes in applying for a license for energy business by reducing the number of required obligatory documents. "But still there’s a scope for doing much more to further ease doing business in the energy sector," he told UNB. Read BPC’s ballooning operations call for augmented manpower  He also suggested fixing the fees rationally so that it does not affect the consumers. BERC Member (Gas) Maqbul-E-Elahi Chowdhury said they have already prepared a draft to reduce the annual license fees for different businesses in the energy sector.

Power Division will take punitive action within 7 days against staff involved in preparing inflated electricity bills.