Quader blasts 'critical insiders' on gas-power hike

The road transport and bridges minister has responded strongly to criticism from a Cabinet minister and a senior Awami League leader over the recent hike in prices of gas and power.

“Different remarks have been made by some of us, and that is creating the problem. I will call this political suicide that makes us weak,” Obaidul Quader says.
 
“Others will take advantage of this,” he said on Saturday. "Everyone from the government should be on the same page on this issue."
 
The Awami League Presidium member was speaking at a discussion at BMA Auditorium in Dhaka.
 
After the government on Aug 27 hiked retail power prices by 2.97 percent and gas prices by 26.29 percent, effective from Sep 1, Bangladesh Workers Party strongly protested the move.
 
The party’s President Rashed Khan Menon is the Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Cabinet.
 
Workers' Party is also one of the key constituents of the ruling Awami League-led 14-Party alliance.
 
Awami League Advisory Council member Suranjit Sengupta on Friday also protested the latest hike in energy prices.
 
Obaidul Quader on Saturday said, “The subsidy in gas and power has reached such a level that is hurting the economy. That’s why the government decided to raise the prices to ease the pressure on subsidy.”
 
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would never take any decision that may go against public interest,” he added.
 
“We must not resort to suicidal behaviour, we must preserve Sheikh Hasina’s development spree.”
 
The road transport minister, however, admitted that the hike in prices of gas and power would also impact on the transport sector.
 
“I will ask BRTA to keep the costs at a tolerable level after discussing with the stakeholders.”