Gazipur community for the visually impaired receives electricity after two decades of darkness
Photo Collected
After two decades of darkness, electricity has finally reached the Andher Tek area in Mouchak, located in the Kaliakair Upazila of Gazipur. Authorities recently installed a power meter in one household, marking the beginning of a electrification project that is expected to bring power to the remaining 44 families within the next week.
The community, home to 45 families since 2001, includes 27 households where individuals with visual impairments reside alongside their family members. For over 20 years, these residents lived without access to a power grid despite repeated petitions to local officials. Previous attempts to supply power, which included the installation of utility poles and transformers, were abandoned following external interference.
The plight of the residents gained national attention in July 2022 following a series of investigative reports and editorials highlighting their situation. Despite these efforts, residents alleged that progress was repeatedly stalled by the influence of local power brokers.
The grid expansion was finally revitalized following a change in the political climate. Residents appealed to Gazipur-1 Member of Parliament Mujibur Rahman, District Commissioner Nurul Karim Bhuiyan, and acting Mouchak Union Parishad Chairman Ariful Islam, whose combined intervention expedited the connection process and led to the installation of a submersible pump for clean water access.
The first meter was installed on August 20 at the home of Faruk Hossain, the son of the former president of the Bangladesh Blind Welfare Association, Sahaj Uddin. While the local community has expressed relief, Kurban Ali, the current president of the Bangladesh Blind Welfare Association, has urged officials to ensure the remaining 44 households are connected without further delay.
Rafiqul Azad, Deputy General Manager of the Palli Bidyut Samity-1 Mouchak Zonal Office, has assured the residents that the remaining connections will be completed shortly.
District Commissioner Nurul Karim Bhuiyan confirmed that the administration has denied competing lease claims on the land occupied by the residents. “Considering the needs of these visually impaired individuals, we have initiated the process to officially allocate the land to them,” Bhuiyan stated, adding that he has issued formal directives to ensure every household receives a functional electricity meter.
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