Staff Reporter :The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) on Saturday threatened to challenge the gas and power price hike by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) in a court.CAB will also launch a campaign to create public awareness about the ‘government’s unfair practice’ in the hike of utility tariff, said CAB’s Adviser Prof Dr Shamsul Alam while addressing a press conference at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU). “CAB has been pursuing the matter at the administrative level to ensure justice over gas and power price hike and a letter has been forwarded to the PM’s adviser in this regard,” Prof. Alam said.He said, “If our plea is neglected at the administrative level, we will have to go the higher court to seek a remedy to the unjust, unfair and illegal order of the BERC.””The relevant BERC law dictates the energy regulator must dispose of any petition regarding energy price escalation or reduction within 90 days from the public hearing. But the regulator announced the decision after more than eight months have passed,” Prof. Alam said.The CAB adviser said the BERC has announced the decision after the expiry of its jurisdiction period.Prof. Alam alleged that the petitions pending with the BERC seeking the reduction of energy price are not being considered for holding any public hearing, although it is mandatory to entertain such petitions.CAB placed 11-point demand in the press conference which include revoking the gas and power price hike decision, holding a fresh public hearing to reduce gas price and power tariff, investing 50 per cent of the revenue earned from energy sector for its development, and ensuring a level-playing field for private and public sectors in the power and energy sector.
