BNP-led alliance to protest power, gas price hike on Sunday countrywide

The BNP-led 20-party alliance has announced countrywide demonstration on Sunday, protesting the recent power and gas price hike.

Earlier on Sunday night at a meeting of the

alliance's chiefs at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Gulshan office, the political parties had decided to stage the demonestration countrywide on Saturday.

But BNP in a statement last night said the alliance fixed Sunday for the demonestration

following a request from Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad as it  wants smooth celebration of Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna, on Saturday.

BNP in the statement signed by its standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan yesterday urged all to participate in the demonstration.

The party also sent the statement along with a leaflet which said, "If we fail to resist this decision, the government will increase tariff of gas again in December."

Demanding cancellation of the decision, BNP said power and gas hike will increase prices of daily essentials as well as costs of transportation, education and health services and industrial and agricultural products.

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) announced a new tariff structure on August 27.

Under the new rates, households using a single-burner stove will have to pay 50 percent more with the monthly gas price going up to Tk 600 from Tk 400.

For double-burner stove users, the tariff has been raised to Tk 650 from Tk 450 a month.

Industries that turn gas into electricity through generators will see gas tariff double--Tk 8.36 from Tk 4.18 per cubic metre.