Dhaka, May 14 -- The Bangladesh Palli Bidyut Association (BPBA) has alleged that more than 4,000 officials and employees of the Palli Bidyut Samiti have faced punitive actions-including dismissals, forced transfers, attachments, and various forms of harassment-over the past four months.

In a press release issued to the media on Wednesday, the association claimed that the Rural Electrification Board (REB), the regulatory body overseeing the Samitis, is retaliating against employees demanding reforms in the essential power distribution sector, which connects urban power sources to rural consumers.

According to the BPBA, 29 staff members have been terminated without notice, while others have been subjected to legal harassment, including ar...