IN THE SUPREME COURT OF BANGLADESH HIGH COURT DIVISION

      (SPECIAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION)

Writ Petition No. 13599 of 2016. In the matter of:

An application under article 102 (2) of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

-And- In the matter of:

Hotel Supreme and Exotica Restaurant.

     ...... Petitioner -Versus-

Government of Bangladesh represented by the Secretary, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and others.

. . Respondents.

Mr. Ashfaqur Rahman, Advocate

.. For the applicant-respondent No.3.  None appears

. . . For the petitioner.

              Present:

Mr. Justice J. B. M. Hassan   

            and

Mr. Justice Razik Al Jalil   

The 15th May, 2024

This is an application for discharging the Rule Nisi.

The writ petitioner is the consumer of gas fuel from the Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Limited taking gas line in its establishment. During enjoyment of gas connection, the respondent gas company issued impugned letter asking to disconnect the Geyser line (Water Heater) from the petitioner’s Hote1. Challenging the said letter the petitioner filed this writ petition and obtained the present Rule Nisi.

Mr. Ashfaqur Rahman, learned Advocate appearing for the applicant- respondent-gas  company  at  the  very  out  set  has  drawn  our  attention to

section 40 of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission Act, 2003 and the regulation 3 of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission Dispute Settlement Regulations, 2021 which runs as follows:

“40. Arbitration - Settlement by the Commission—

1.   Notwithstanding anything contained in the Arbitration Act, 2001 (Act No. 1 of 2001) or any other Act, any dispute arising between the licencees, or licencees and consumers, shall be referred to the Commission for its settlement: Provided that a contract, executed between the Government or any of its agency and a private company, in respect of energy, immediate before this Act comes into force, the conditions of the said contract shall be applicable for the settlement of the disputes.
2.   Commission as an arbitrator may, suomoto, take steps and award adjudication of a dispute or appoint arbitrator for settlement of dispute.
3.   Methods and procedures for the said settlement shall be specified by regulations.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .”

Regulation No.3 of “h¡wm¡­cn He¡¢SÑ ®l…­mV¢l L¢jne ¢h­l¡d ¢eÖf¢š fË¢hd¡ej¡m¡, ” 2021 are as follows:

“3z ¢h­l¡d£u ¢ho­u B­hce c¡¢Mmz-(1) m¡C­p¢¾p­cl j­dÉ Abh¡ m¡C­p¢¾p Hhw ®i¡š²¡­cl j­dÉ EáÅa ®L¡e ¢h­l¡d ¢eÖf¢šl SeÉ AC­el d¡l¡ 40 Hl Ad£e L¢jne hl¡hl ¢m¢Ma B­hce c¡¢Mm Ll¡ k¡C­hz (2) B­hc­el p¢qa ag¢pm-L à¡l¡ ¢edÑ¡¢la gljÉ¡V ¢ejÀh¢ZÑa abÉ-Ef¡š J AeÉ¡eÉ fË­u¡Se£u c¢mm¡¢c c¡¢Mm L¢l­a qC­h, kb¡x-

. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .”

In view of above legal provisions, we are of the view that the

petitioner’s remedy lies before the Energy Regulatory Commission and hence the writ petition is not maintainable having the alternative forum under the statute.

Hence, the application is allowed.

Resultantly, the Rule is discharged without any order as to costs.

Communicate a copy of this judgment and order to the respondents at

once.