As a result of the unreasonable increase in the price of electricity, the monthly cost of consumers will increase by an average of 9.4 percent. This will put pressure on the consumer.
Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a private policy-research organization, said these things in a press conference at Dhanmondi in the capital on Wednesday (March 13).
In view of the announcement of the increase in electricity and energy prices on February 27, Research Director Dr. Khandkar Golam Moazzem put up some suggestions.
Pointing out that the cost of production is increasing due to the wrong policy of the government in the power sector, CPD said that the government has shifted its responsibility on the consumer due to the purchase of electricity at a high price. The reason for the increase in government spending is to switch from gas to LNG power. This price hike will put additional pressure on the consumer, which is not acceptable at all.
At that time, the information of the survey conducted by CPD was highlighted, it has been said that due to the increase in electricity prices, the average house will have to pay an additional bill of about 9 and a half percent. On an average, people have to pay an additional bill of Tk. 106 in winter and Tk. 118 in summer.
CPD has urged the government to adjust the price of gas and electricity through the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission, not through an executive order.
CPD, a private research institute, has demanded that price increases or decreases be done through public hearings for the sake of transparency and accountability. The organization says the rate at which electricity prices have increased is beyond the consumer's tolerance. However, the government has said that the increase in electricity prices will not affect consumers.
By bypassing the Energy Regulatory Commission, electricity prices have been hiked only on the basis of executive order, which the CPD believes lacks transparency and accountability of the government. CPD urged the government to immediately repeal that section of the Electricity Act and adjust the price of electricity through competitive bidding and public hearing through BERC.
The CPD says that the government will no longer have to give subsidies if the production of renewable energy is increased by 30 percent by 2030, including 4 alternative methods including the gradual exit from oil-based quick rental power plants, the no electricity no pay system for paying for electricity capacity.