Leaders of two left leaning parties – Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) Wednesday alleged that Sheikh Hasina-led Aawmi League government has breached its own commitment through initiating move to raise electricity tariff.
CPB president Muzahidul Islam Selim said the Awami League government had made a commitment that they would start bringing down electricity tariff from 2014.“But instead, now they moved for further rise in electricity tariff. This is clear violation of their commitment to the nation,” he said while addressing a mass sit-in programme in front of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) in city’s Karwan Bazar.
The programme was organised in protest against the regulatory body’s public hearing on the power tariff hike proposals of state-owned power distribution companies.
With BSD president Khalequzzaman in the chair, the day’s sit-in programme was also addressed, among others, by CPD leader Ruhin Hossain Prince, Prof Shamsul Alam and BSD leader Bazlur Rashid Firoz.
The leaders demanded of the BERC to hold public hearing to reduce electricity tariff instead of increasing it.
“The public hearing must be held for lowering power tariff, not increasing it. Because, the people’s back is now on the wall,” said Ruhin Hossain Prince.
“The people will never accept any decision to raise power tariff. Rather, the government would be forced to change any decision to hike power tariff,” he added.
Earlier, on Tuesday, a similar mass sit-in programme was organised by Gano Sanghati Andolon at the same place as part of the continuous protest by the left leaning organisations. – UNB
