UNB, Dhaka :CNG pump owners on Thursday threatened to shut down their stations if the government raises the price of compressed natural gas.”We will have no option but to shut down our pumps if the price of CNG is further increased,” said Masud Khan, president of Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association, while addressing a discussion meeting at Cirdap Auditorium in the city.The threat came against the backdrop of the government proposal to raise the price of CNG by 83 percent. The proposal was submitted to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) which has since announced public hearings on August 7-18 to discuss the matter. The government has also proposed to raise the prices of gas used by households and other consumers to almost double what they are paying now.The discussion meeting, titled: “Resist Gas Price Hike, Transport Fare Hike” was also addressed, among others by, eminent columnist Syed Abul Maksud, Architect Mobassher Hossain, energy specialists Prof Badrul Imam, Prof Shamsul Alam and Prof M Ehsan. Economist Prof MM Akash moderated the discussion meeting, organised by CNG association. Expressing their grave concern about the government’s move for CNG price hike, the speakers said that it will badly impact the market of essential commodities as transport fares will double like in the previous years. They said it is always evident that whenever the government raises CNG prices, transport operators subsequently raise their fares. As a result, prices of all commodities go up the next day. Syed Abul Maksud said the government seems to protect the interest of gas companies instead of considering the interests of the masses. Mobasher Hossain said the government proposes to hike gas prices to meet the expense of other sectors where corruption eats up the profits.Prof Shamsul Alam said the government is ignoring all rules in raising CNG prices.Prof Ehsan said if CNG price is increased, motor vehicles will turn to diesel for their fuel which will return Dhaka city to a polluted situation prevailing before 2000. He said CNG not only saves money, but also saves expenses in health and environment. General secretary of CNG association Farhan Noor said that despite huge profit the gas companies are pushing their price hike proposal.
