Staff Reporter :
The government has increased the prices of residential natural gas with Tk 1,080 for double burner stoves and Tk 990 for a single burner.
Meanwhile, different political leaders, the consumer rights groups and trade bodies came down heavily after the decision of the gas price hike.
They also demanded to the government to reinstate the previous price considering the volatile global economy and internal spiraling of daily essentials.
Chairman of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Mohammad Abu Faruk gave the announcement at a press conference around 3 pm in the city on Sunday.
The new price will come into effect from this month (June) and the consumers will have to pay it in the month of July.
Previously the price of double burner stoves at the consumer level was Tk 975 and Tk 925 for a single burner.
However, the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has not been increased.
According to business leaders, the production cost of the products will go up following the hiking of gas price. As a result, transportation costs will also increase and it would be difficult to survive in the competition of the world market at higher prices.
Besides, the country’s foreign currency earner garment sector will have to face huge losses.
This was stated by the traders and entrepreneurs in the garment sector on Sunday in an immediate reaction to the hike of gas prices.
Senior vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)SM Mannan Kochi said that the country’s readymade garment sector would suffer huge losses due to rising the gas prices.
The price of diesel has been increased a few days ago, he said adding that they requested the government not to increase the price of gas again.
“We are appealing to the government not to increase the gas price at this moment considering the ongoing economic crisis across the world. We want the price to remain the same and it will be officially re-proposed soon,” the BGMEA leader said.
Earlier in January 2022, Petrobangla proposed that the BERC increase the average gas price up to Tk15.30 cubic metre.
However, six gas distribution companies demanded an increase in the gas price up to 117% to Tk20.36 per cubic metre.
Earlier on March 21-23, the BERC held a four-day public hearing at the city’s BIAM auditorium where state-run Petrobangla’s proposal to hike retail gas prices.
Currently, only 3-4% of the total 3,000 million cubic feet of daily gas supply comes from the spot LNG.
However, the consumer rights groups said that the rise of gas price is totally illogical and unfair at this moment as the people are struggling amid price hike of essentials resulting from Covid-19 pandemic shock.
They strongly protest the BERC’s decision in hiking the gas price and urged the government to review the BERC decision considering people’s sufferings and economic condition.
