HC questions hiking of gas, power tariffs

The High Court yesterday questioned the legality of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission's latest decision to hike gas and electricity prices.

After hearing a writ petition filed by Consumers Association of Bangladesh, the court issued a rule upon the BERC to explain why the decision taken on August 27 would not be declared illegal.

Petitioner's lawyer Saiful Islam said the commission increased the prices violating a relevant law according to which the ERC has to take the decision of hiking or cutting prices in 90 days after the mass hearing.

But the BERC took the decision seven months after it had held the mass hearing on this issue.

As per the new increased tariff imposed on September 1, the average retail power tariff went up by 2.93 percent from Tk 6.15 kilowatt-hour unit to Tk 6.33.

For household gas, the tariff for a single burner stove increased to Tk 600 per month against Tk 400 while gas bill of a double-burner stove costs Tk 650 which was Tk 450. This was a big 26.29 percent jump.