Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) on Tuesday began a three-day public hearing on power tariff hike proposals from the five state-owned electricity distribution companies. On the first day, the Power Development Board (PDB) and West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd (WZPDC) made their separate presentation defending their proposals. The PDB sought average 15.50 percent raise in the existing electricity tariff at retail level while the EZPDC sought 8.59 percent rise. Analyzing the PDB proposal, a technical evaluation committee of the BERC has recommended an average 6.66 percent rise in the PDB’s retail level tariff and 7.51 percent enhancement in the WZPDC retail tariff. However, the 4-member BERC top body with its Chairman AR Khan heard the presentation, and listened to the arguments, counter-arguments through out the hearing, participated by representatives of different stakeholders. But it did not give any order. It urged the stakeholders to submit more statements, if needed, within next two days. The Chairman of the commission said the regulatory body will not take long to make its final decision. “Every body wants quick decision on any matter. So, we’ll not take much time”, he told the participants in the hearing. The regulatory body will hear the proposals of DPDC and DESCO on Wednesday and the REB’s proposal on Thursday. Participating in the public hearing, representatives of a number of left leaning political parties, social organisations and consumer right groups vigorously opposed the proposals of the state-owned power companies. Almost all of them said that the government and power companies do not need to raise the power tariff if they can stop corruption, wealth plundering in the name of rental and quick rental power plants. Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) leader Ruhin Hossain Prince said the government will have to face tremendous movement if the tariff is raised. Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) advisor Professor Shamsul Alam said a further rise in power tariff will trigger unrest in the society. Because, he said, the tariff hike will have multiple effects on the other sector of the economy. PDB chief engineer Mizanur Rahman said the raise at the retail level is essential for the sake of further improvement in the power sector. He said the PDB has to incur a huge loss under current retail tariff. He said the power supply cost at retail level stands at Tk 6.93 per unit at the retail level while the PDB is selling electricity at Tk 6 per unit. – UNB
Gano Sanghati Andolon, a left leaning social organisation, on Tuesday threatened to go for tough action programme including hartal if the government does not refrain from raising electricity tariff. “We’ll be forced to launch a tough movement including calling hartal if the government does not ditch its plan to raise power tariff,”, said Junayed Saki, convenor of Gano Sanghati, while speaking at the sit-in programme in front of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) at Karwan Bazar in the city. Gana Sanghati Andolon organised the sit-in from 11 am to 2 pm during the BERC’s public hearing on power tariff hike proposals. Leaders of different left-leaning political parties including Saiful Haque, Ruhin Hossain Prince and Abdus Salam spoke at the sit-in programme, which was organized to protest against the government move to raise the power tariff at retail level. They alleged that the government has initiated the move to raise the power tariff only for the benefit of the owners of rental and quick rental power plants. The leaders said that if the power tariff is raised, the poorer section of the society and the farmers will be its worst victim. “People will never accept any decision to raise power tariff.” – UNB
