Rajshahi City Corporation administrator Mahfuzur Rahman Riton and its executive engineer (electricity), ABM Asaduzzaman Sweet, have sought government approval to visit France to gain knowledge of energy-efficient street-lighting technology.
RCC chief executive officer Rezaul Karim, in a letter sent to the secretary of the Local Government Division on May 12, sought government approval for the visit.
Earlier on Monday, prime minister Tarique Rahman rejected a proposal seeking approval for a visit to Florida in the United States by Chattogram City Corporation mayor Shahadat Hossain and five other city corporation officials to study innovative mosquito control measures, according to a Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha report.
The prime minister advised the officials to stand beside a puddle rather than travel to Florida to learn about mosquito eradication, the BSS reported, quoting the prime minister’s deputy press secretary, Jahidul Islam Rony.
According to the letter, the two RCC officials are scheduled to stay in France from June 20 to 30.
The letter said that Signify Bangladesh Limited would arrange the tour and that the two officials would visit Signify France’s Outdoor Lighting Application Centre to learn about new energy-saving technologies used in street lighting.
The proposal, submitted for a government order approving the visit, cited an invitation letter from Signify Bangladesh Limited and said that all expenses for the trip would be borne by the company.
When contacted, Signify Bangladesh Limited Manager Mehedi Hasan said that the company imported street-lighting products manufactured in France and supplied them in Bangladesh through local dealers.
‘Our dealers sell street lights to various organisations and institutions. Rajshahi City Corporation may be purchasing lights from one of our dealers. When a client places a work order and wants to see the production process, we arrange visits to France and show them the facilities,’ he said.
However, Mehedi could not specify which dealer or company the RCC was procuring the street lights from.
‘We have three or four dealers. I cannot say at this moment which one is supplying the lights,’ he said.
RCC administrator Mahfuzur Rahman Riton could not be reached for comments over phone.
Meanwhile, in a message sent to a journalists’ WhatsApp group, RCC public relations officer Mostafizur Rahman said that the inviting company had not been involved in any ongoing or previous project of Rajshahi City Corporation.
He also said that no final decision had yet been made regarding the visit as no approval or government order had been issued by the government till Tuesday.
