The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has proposed to concerned authorities to provide electricity for metro rail at a low price without any profit at the public hearing on retail power tariff hike proposals.
The hearing took place on Sunday morning at Dhaka's BIAM Auditorium.
DMTCL Managing Director (MD) MAN Siddique told Dhaka Tribune: "We have sent a proposal to BERC asking for a concession on electricity. Because one of the expenses for the operation of metro rail will be electricity. Now if BERC keeps special concessions, then it would be beneficial for us.”
He added: “As metro rail is a public transport, it is being managed in the interest of the people. The more concessions we get, the better it will be for the metro rail movement."
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) held the hearing on the proposals submitted by six state-owned power distribution entities to raise about 20% of power tariff at the retail level.
All the six state-owned power distribution bodies which submitted their respective proposals on raising retail power tariff in subsequent of the bulk power tariff hike are—Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB), Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC), Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (Desco), Northern Electricity Supply Company PLS (Nesco), West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL).
In this regard, Assistant Director (Electricity) of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Mofachharul Hasan told Dhaka Tribune: The hearing is ongoing. A decision will be taken after the hearing."
At the same time, the concerned organization will also propose to fix the price of electricity for the eco park at the hearing, reports Bangla Tribune.
BERC Chairman Abdul Jalil told Bangla Tribune that apart from metro rail, eco park's electricity price will be proposed to the distribution companies.
At the hearing, BERC's technical committee recommended an increase in the retail price of electricity by Tk1.10 per kilowatt.
Accordingly, the price of retail power tariff has been recommended to increase from Tk7.13 to Tk8.13. It can increase on average by 15.43%.