BNP protests gas, power prices hike

The BNP has protested the latest increase in retail prices of power and gas, but announced no anti-government agitation against the move.

“The policymakers of our party will discuss and decide on this (programmes),” acting spokesperson Asaduzzaman Ripon said on Saturday.
 
The BNP held a press briefing at its Naya Paltan headquarters two days after the government hiked power prices by 2.97 percent and gas prices by 26.29 percent that will be effective from Sep 1.
 
Ripon said the government’s ‘illogical and unacceptable’ decision to raise the prices came at a time when the oil prices in the international market are dropping.
 
He demanded that the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) should hold a public hearing again and refix the prices.
 
“The BERC held the public hearing just for show and then increased the gas and power prices the way they wanted. We demand cancellation of the BERC decision.”
 
The government has said that the decision to hike the prices was taken to ease the pressure on subsidy.
 
“The burden of price hike would not have fell on the people if the corruption and system loss in the gas and power sectors were checked,” BNP International Affairs Secretary Ripon said.
 
He also criticised the government for the Tk 20 billion yearly subsidy on quick rental power plant.
 
Apart from public discomfort over the hike in gas and power prices, the country’s export sector would also take a hit, Ripon added.