Gas price hike move: BNP threatens to stage agitation

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) yesterday threatened to take to the streets if the government implements the 'illegal' proposal for hiking the gas price."The government is trying to increase the gas tariffs again to inflict sufferings to the people.

An unjustified proposal was made to hike the gas prices by 103 percent only to plunder public money," said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Rizvi made the comments while speaking at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan central office.

He termed that the government's move to raise the gas tariffs is 'illegal' and 'inhuman' one. Mentioning that the gas prices were raised six times over the last 10 years, he said the government's latest move to raise the gas tariffs is illogical since fuel prices are stable on the international market.

The BNP leader said common people well be affected badly if the gas tariffs are hiked. "It'll also hamper production in mills and factories and increase unemployment."

He said transport fares will also go up if the gas prices are hiked. "It'll ultimately increase people's cost of living." Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) held a four-day long public hearing on proposals for raising gas prices since Monday.

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd, Sundarban Gas Company Ltd, Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company, and Jalalabad Gas Distribution Company placed identical proposals for hiking the gas tariffs.