Power Tariff Hiked for Benefit of ‘Awami Syndicate’: BNP

BNP alleged on Friday that the government increased the power tariff in order to create room for the ' ruling party syndicate to loot public money. '

"The government is increasing electricity, gas, and water prices according to its ability to slash into public wallets overlooking the demands and concerns of mass citizens and consumer rights or business organizations. They have increased power prices for the profit of the Awami syndicate," said BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan headquarters, he further said, "Plundering public money is the only justification for the increase in retail and wholesale power tariffs in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak in the global oil price downturn. Awami syndicate will plunder about Tk 2,000 crore a year from consumers ' wallets through the spike in power prices."

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) reported on Thursday that it will raise the electricity tariff by 5.3 per cent at retail and 8.4 per cent at wholesale level on a weighted average.

The new tariff will come into effect on March 1, said newly-appointed BERC Chairman Md Abdul Jalil while announcing the decision on Thursday at the Commission’s auditorium.

With the fresh one, the Awami League government has increased the power tariffs for the ninth time in a decade.

Protesting the government’s decision, Rizvi said people’s backs have been pushed against the wall by hiking power prices repeatedly while the owners of the industries are also struggling to stay afloat.

“A conspiracy is on to push the country towards a serious disaster by destroying the domestic industry and halting the employment of lakhs of people. Hundreds of organizations are failing to cope with the rising production costs due to the hike in power prices,” he observed.

Rizvi said it will be difficult for small entrepreneurs and traders to survive following the power price increase. “The increase in the cost of irrigation will cast a negative impact on agriculture while the cost of living will go up further. Common people will face serious trouble as the prices of essential commodities will increase again due to the power tariff hike.”

Under these conditions, the BNP chief called on the government to revoke its ' anti-people ' decision to raise the price of power.

Otherwise, he warned that their party together with people put up a strong resistance against the hike in the prices of all utility services.

Source: UNB