Deferent left political parties yesterday at separate protest programmes in the capital demanded withdrawal of increased power price within 48 hours, and warned of tougher programmes if their demands were not met.
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday increased the average retail power prices by 6.96% with a retrospective effect from March 1, breaching the government’s public commitment to decrease power tariff this year.
Communist Party of Bangladesh and Socialist Party of Bangladesh, Democratic Left Alliance, Dhaka city unit of Gana Sanghati Andolan and Jatiya Mukti Council held separate protest rallies in front the National Press Club to press home their demand.
CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim announced 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw the increased power price, and they would hold demonstrations in front of the energy ministry on Sunday.
Views Exchange on Rampal Power Plant Held Energy experts and academics yesterday at a view exchange programme in the capital said the government had increased the power price to satisfy the International Monetary Fund and the international oil companies.
National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports organised the programme, chaired by Jahangirnagar University teacher and Member Secretary of the committee Anu Muhammad, at CPB central office.
Anu Muhammad termed the latest power price hike “unjustified” and said the government had taken the decision to compensate the loss of quick rental system.
He also said the government had turned the energy ministry into a “bottomless basket” taking wrong policies.
Energy experts said the people would suffer much for the power price hike, and called on all the left political forces to be united in protesting the decision.
They also said the Sundarbans would be destroyed if the Rampal Thermal Power Plant was set up at Rampal in Bagerhat. There were many alternatives for power productions and we must coal based power plants to save the nature and environment, they told.
Meanwhile, the Jamaat-e-Islami acting secretary general Shafiqur Rahman announced that they would stage a countrywide demonstration programmes on Sunday demanding withdrawal of the power price hike.