The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) held a human chain on Wednesday morning in protest of a public hearing on hiking gas prices.
Members of the organization stood in a human chain in front of the Biam Foundation, holding banners and festoons before the hearing began.
Their demand is to cancel what they call a "mockery of a hearing."
Notably, Petrobangla has proposed increasing the price of gas supplied to new industrial boilers and industrial generators (captive) from Tk30 and Tk31.75 per cubic metre to Tk75.72 per cubic metre.
The hearing on this proposal was underway at the time of writing at the Biam Auditorium.
It is understood that CAB had previously submitted a written request for its cancellation.
After receiving no response, it held a press conference on Saturday.
CAB presented several demands to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC).
It is calling for a determination of the total amount of misappropriated costs in electricity and energy supply over the past 15 years and a reduction in the current tariff by eliminating these unjustified expenses.
It is also demanding the formation of a tribunal, led by a retired Supreme Court judge, to bring energy sector criminals to justice.
Additionally, it is urging amendments to the BERC Act to ensure energy justice and protect consumer rights.
Addressing consumers, CAB urged them to stand against and resist the BERC’s anti-consumer activities, including hearings aimed at increasing energy tariffs instead of reducing them by curbing misappropriation.
It called for a nationwide movement in the capital, divisions, districts, and upazilas, and encouraged people to continue protesting until their demands are met.
Economist Prof MM Akash, Ruhin Hossain Prince, Prof Mizanur Rahman, Farhan Noor, Jalal Uddin, Mohiuddin Ahmed, Monir Uddin Pappu, and Alamgir Kabir, among others, were present at the human chain.
