Scattering of counterfeit and risky electrical equipments in Nawabpur-Kaptan Bazar

The incidents of short circuit fires are happening every day in the country. Wealth and loss of life is happening in it. This situation is mainly due to fake and low quality electrical equipments. Because many times the customer himself is going to reduce the cost of buying low quality wires and electrical equipments. In most cases, they are buying fake and inferior products at the same price even when they go to buy products of famous brands. In addition to deceiving customers, the risk of major accidents at home, office or business places. But there is no supervision of the power distribution companies. Moreover, the quality control body BSTI also does not have any strict measures. Short circuit fires are on the rise in the market due to the proliferation of counterfeit and low quality electrical equipments and lack of consumer awareness. This is because many customers buy the equipments on the advice of a local electrician. And the sanctuaries of these counterfeit electrical appliances are the electric markets located at Nawabpur and Kaptanbazar, from where all these counterfeit and low quality electrical appliances are spread among the retail buyers all over Bangladesh. These companies also provide financial benefits to mechanics and electricians to increase sales of products to customers. Many of them are making, packaging and marketing low quality products by imitating the logos of a few companies including BRB Cables, BSB, Bijli, Paradise, MNP and Eastern Cable which are known as manufacturers of good quality electrical products in the market.

Meanwhile, Khandaker Ruhul Amin, president of Bangladesh Electric Association, told The Finance Today on the issue of counterfeit and substandard electrical appliances.

"List those who make counterfeit and substandard electrical equipments. I will try to cancel their membership and take legal action."

But the question remains how the factories manufacturing these illegal electrical equipmentss without the approval of BSTI and the Department of Environment got listed as members of Bangladesh Electric Association?

Mohammad Golam Rabbani, Assistant Director, BSTI, told The Finance Today about the manufacture and marketing of counterfeit and substandard electrical equipments. “We are bringing these illegal low quality electrical equipments manufacturing factories and importers under the law through mobile courts. We will continue this activity.

In this regard, experts believe that most of the fire accidents are due to the use of low quality electrical equipments. Due to the lack of coordination of the concerned departments, these unscrupulous manufacturers of low quality electrical equipments are not going to be stopped. Therefore, with the joint efforts of all, it is possible to stop making counterfeit and substandard electrical equipments.