Power tariff hike to deepen public suffering further: BNP

BNP denounced the government’s decision to increase the power tariff and warned that it is just like slaying the slain amid the skyrocketing prices of daily essentials.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also asked the government to back off from the decision.

 "The price of electricity has been increased again. It's just to slay the slain," he said.

The BNP leader said the power tariff has been raised at a time when the prices of essential items, including rice and pulses, are increasing and inflation is increasing at an extreme level.

“The prices of power, gas and water were increased. They have made the life of common people miserable by increasing the power price further.  We strongly condemn this decision,” he said.

Fakhrul said people will come with strong resistance against the government if it does not withdraw the decision.

Earlier in the day, the government raised the bulk power tariff by 19.92 percent with effect from December 2022.

Chairman of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Md Abdul Jalil announced the decision to raise the tariff disposing of the review appeal of the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).

Fakhrul said the decision to hike the power price is an anti-people one. “This unelected regime has become mass enemies by taking a position against people.”

He alleged that the government is finding it impossible to deal with the economic situation it has created by indulging in corruption in every sector.  “They are now inflicting suffering on people as they are desperate to get loans from the IMF.”

The BNP leader said it could have been much easier for the government to deal with the economic crisis had they taken steps earlier to reduce corruption and siphoning off a huge amount of money abroad, reports UNB.