The hearing on the price hike of power has raised many questions. Consumers, traders and politicians claim that the Power Development Board (PDB) and Northern Electric Supply Company (NESCO) could not give any proof of loss.
They ask, since these companies are making a profit why is it necessary to raise the price of power? There was no answer at the hearing of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC).
On Sunday (Dec 1), PDB and NESCO failed to furnish any evidence of their losses. Questions have been raised whether agencies making profits can go to the hearing.
Commission member Mizanur Rahman has said: “If the wholesale rate is raised then it will impact the price paid by the subscribers.”
BNP’s Joint Secretary General Moazzem Hossain Alal said: “If there is a glitch in the power line, a subscriber calls. People from the distribution company fix the problem, and send the user a bill, which is not right.”
Alleging wastage in the power sector, he added: “Power is being bought at a higher rate from one company while other companies are sitting idle; as a result, both the government and the investor are facing losses.”
Energy adviser of CAB, Shamsul Alam, said: “We make a lot of suggestions at the public hearings but they are never implemented.”
During the public hearing of the last two days, the issue of hiking price was not mentioned. The issue has been left to the commission.
'Such an arbitrary increase is irrational,' said Ruhin Hossain Prince, central committee member of the Bangladesh Communist Party.