Staff reporter :The technical evaluation committee of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) on Tuesday recommended for raising power tariff by 5.16 percent to be effective from February 1.The committee made the recommendation in a public hearing held at TCB Bhaban at Karwan Bazar in the city.BERC Chairman AR Khan, Members Rahman Murshed, Dr. Selim Mahmud, Engineer Delowar Hossain and Maksudul Haque attended the public hearing.Different right groups’ activists, former members of BERC, energy and power sector experts, representatives from FBCCI, BGMEA, BKMEA, Bangladesh Re-rolling Mills Association and Energy Expert of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) were also present. They strongly opposed the move as the oil price decreased significantly in the international market. They urged to hold hearing for decreasing power tariff.Professor Shamsul Alam of CAB said, the government allocated subsidy to generate electricity from furnace oil and diesel based power plants but most of oil run power plants were kept idle last year. BERC can press the government to adjust the subsidy from which was not spent last year, he said.The Power Development Board (PDB) proposed to increase the power tariff by 18.12 percent (Tk 0.85 per unit) at bulk level.It said, currently the cost of power production and distribution one unit is Tk 6.54 whereas the price at wholesale level is Tk 4.67 per unit.On the other hand, the leaders and activists of Biplobi Workers Party, Ganotantrik Biplobi Party, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Andolon and Ganasanghati Andolon held sit-in strike outside the TCB Bhaban in protest.Chief Coordinator of Ganasanghati Andolon Zonayed Saki said, the process of hiking power price is illegal. “There is no justification and this is why we are protesting the matter,” he said.
