“Gas entities might have proposed raising gas tariff by more than 100 percent in some cases. But I can assure you that the commission will consider the matter judiciously without any biasness,” said Berc Chairman Monwar Islam while making his concluding remarks at the hearing.
He also reminded that the commission never agrees with the proposals placed by the gas companies and delivers its order applying its own judicious consciousness.
“For example, the companies proposed a 95 percent hike, but the Berc ordered an 11 percent hike,” Monwar told the audience who were mainly from different consumer rights groups, political parties, business bodies, civil societies and journalists.
He also urged people not to get panicked with the gas tariff hike proposals and instead keep their trust in the neutrality of the energy watchdog.
The Berc chairman directed the gas entities not to bring any unrealistic or exaggerated price hike proposal in the future, saying it creates panic among people.
He also called upon the participants to convey their additional arguments to the Berc by March 20 if they have any.
On the concluding day, the Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company and Pashchimanchal Gas Distribution Company placed their respective proposals which were identical with other gas distribution entities like Titas, Bakhraba and Jalalabad.
As per the proposals, the consumer having a single burner oven will have to pay Tk 1,350 per month instead of exiting Tk 750 while the two-burner users will pay Tk 1,440 per month instead of Tk 800 and the metred household consumer has to pay Tk 16.41 per cubic metre (each unit) instead of Tk 9.10 per cubic metre for gas consumption.
Power plants will pay Tk 9.74 per unit of gas instead of the existing rate of Tk 3.16 with a rise of 208 percent while fertiliser factories will pay Tk 8.44 per unit instead of Tk 2.71 per unit with the rise of 211 percent.
They proposed increasing the gas tariffs by 96 percent to Tk 18.88 per unit from Tk 9.62 for captive power while it proposed hiking 132 percent gas tariff for industries to Tk 18.04 per unit against the existing rate of Tk 7.76 per unit.
They proposed raising the tariff by 50 percent for CNG to Tk 48 per unit from Tk 32 while 41 percent for commercial use of gas to Tk 24.05 from Tk 17.04 per unit.
Meanwhile, Islami Andolon Bangladesh staged demonstrations in front of the TCB Auditorium while the public hearing was taking process during the hearing in the morning session.
Terming the public hearing ‘illegal and farcical’, the party leaders urged the government to backtrack from the hearing process.
“Or else, there’ll be a greater movement against the government to force it to back out of the move,” said one of the leaders of the organization.
During the demonstration, huge police were deployed in the area to avert any untoward incident.
As per the Berc Act, the energy regulator will announce its decision within 90 days of the hearing.