The High Court in a ruling yesterday questioned the legality of the government’s decision to increase gas and electricity prices.
Responding to a writ petition challenging the legality of the hike, the HC bench of Justices Naima Haider and Mustafa Zaman Islam asked the energy regulator to explain why the decision would not be declared illegal. The bench also asked BERC to explain why it should not be directed to reconsider the decision.
The writ was filed by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh.
According to law, price of power or gas can be increased within 90 days of a public hearing on such a proposal, but this time the decision was made after the 90-day deadline ended, said petitioner’s lawyer M Saiful Alam.
CAB also requested the BERC to review the decision, but the commission did not respond to the plea, he said.
“The High Court also asked why the ‘inaction’ of the commission shall not be declared ‘illegal’,” he added.
As per the current tariff which came into effect on September 1, the retail price of electricity is Tk6.33 per unit, increased from Tk6.15 per unit.
The tariff for a single burner stove increased to Tk600 a month from Tk400, while Tk650 for a double-burner stove from Tk450.
