Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has defended the government decision to hike power prices again.
“Do you know what the power prices are in our neighbouring countries? (We) need to pay for the production cost. You want usage but don’t want to pay for it?” she said on Wednesday.
She said this in reply to a query in Parliament by Pirojpur-3 MP Md Rustum Ali Faraji on whether power tariff would be raised.
She advised against electricity wastage and said protesting tariff hike would do no good. “Energy is a key factor to keep the economy running.”
Electricity from rental power plants cost Tk 9.50 per unit. The Power Development Board (PDB) sells to consumers at a lower price.
Despite a total of 11 retail and bulk price hikes of power in the last five years since dependence on oil-based rental power went up, government subsidies to the sector now stand at over Tk 170 billion.
The government is considering a rise in power prices again, and a hearing on the issue is due next week.
The Prime Minister on Wednesday mentioned a government scheme to gradually increase power generation to meet the demand.
She said distribution, too, would also be stepped up alongside production.
Source: Bd news24
