<i>Electricity price hike, again?</i>
Photo: Amirul Rajiv
Only a few months ago the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) increased the electricity charges causing untold sufferings to the people when there are frequent electricity failure and load shedding all over the country. It is now learnt that BPDB has proposed Bangladesh Energy Regularity Commission to raise the multipurpose electricity tariff by 12 per cent. We would like to state our opinion on payment of electricity bills. The genuine, honest and simple electricity consumers with "habit is the second nature", and moral responsibility to make payment of electricity bills on time, always suffer, and they are financially hard hit due to price hike of electricity. Many owners of mills, factories, workshops, industries, hotels and restaurants do not make payment of the electricity bills for years together. Many govt semi-govt offices, organisations and establishments misuse electricity. Many dishonest consumers, in collaboration with some corrupt electric meter readers, make fictitious bills. Almost daily after sunset we see hundreds of shops decorate their establishments with thousands of electric bulbs. It is an open secret that they get illegal connections with the help of some corrupt employees of the PDB. Under the above circumstances we would request the concerned authorities to root out so called system loss and do away with the corrupt in the power sector first and then raise the rate of tariff if necessary. Then and then only will the common people appreciate the price hike.
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