Staff Reporter
Public hearing on power price hike proposal of Rural Electrification Board (REB) was held at Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) in Dhaka on Thursday.
REB chairman Brigadier Mainuddin pointed out in the hearing that during the last price increase, BERC suggested the government to allot Tk220 crore as subsidy but they did not get the subsidy. As a result, he said REB is facing a loss of around TK 645 crore this year.
On the other hand, BERC’s evaluation committee opposed fresh price hike proposal saying that revenue of BERC has soared up in the current fiscal than the expenditure.
Energy Adviser of Consumers Association of Bangladesh Professor Shamsul Alam said the consumers will stop paying electricity bills if the price is increased frequently.
REB applied to BERC on December 2 from its 70 samities to increase power price on an average 9 per cent and fix up minimum monthly bills at Tk 100 from the existing Tk 65.
Replying a question after the hearing BERC member Dr Selim Mahmud told journalists that the regulatory body is trying to protect the interest of the people and the users up to 800 kilowatt power are getting subsidy.
He also hints power price hike from the first week of the New Year.
