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Energy experts and representatives of consumer rights platforms urge the government not to increase gas tariffs in the country as they believe the proposed tariffs are irrational.
They also say the authorities concerned should enhance their capacity, ensure transparency and reduce system losses, in order to compensate the additional expenses instead of tariff hike.
They came up with the call at a public hearing organised by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) at the BIAM auditorium in the city’s New Eskaton area on Monday.
BERC Chairman Md Abdul Jalil, its members, top officials of the Commission and Petrobangla attended the public meeting.
A technical evaluation team of the BERC made a presentation on Petrobangla’s proposal to increase the natural gas price hike.
According to it, expenses of mixed gas supply at consumer level have decreased by approximately Tk 76,488 million.
It also said Petrobangla’s earnings were Tk 25,379.13 million higher than expenses for LNG import during the period between 18 August, 2018 and 30 June, 2021.
BERC suggested that Petrobangla return Tk 92,274.40 million to the government that was taken from the Energy Security Fund (ESF), as its income was higher than LNG import cost during fiscal year 2017-18 to 2019-20.
Officials of the Petrobangla presented its rationale behind the gas price hike.
In response, Energy Adviser to the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Prof Dr M Shamsul Alam raised a number of questions regarding the proposal.
On behalf of the CAB, he suggested continuing existing tariffs on gas by reducing taxes alongside slashing profits of the licensee agencies and their irrational operational expenses.
Mr Alam alleged that Petrobangla didn’t provide the public with proper information or they were incapable of doing so.
In his welcome speech, BERC Chairman Abdul Jalil said the commission would take a decision after evaluating the rationale for and against the proposal.
Highlighting the Russia-Ukraine war and the global context, he said the higher inflation had made people’s lives miserable.
Gas distribution companies are proposing to increase gas prices by 117 per cent for the industrial units and 116 per cent for the households.
(FE)
