Chunnu criticises move to increase electricity prices

Opposition Chief Whip and Jatiya Party MP Mujibul Haque Chunnu has demanded the government to withdraw the hike in electricity and energy prices.

"The government's move will add misery to common people," he said while speaking during an unscheduled discussion in the National Parliament on Tuesday (27 February). 

His remarks came in response to State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid who on Tuesday hinted the government is set to hike electricity and energy prices from March in its efforts to reduce subsidy bills from the state coffer.

"Electricity prices will go up by 34 paisa per unit," Nasrul said responding to reporters at his office at the Secretariat.

Chunnu said people are already in a miserable condition. "When common people go to the market... there is no control over the price of goods."

He also said that there is no supervision from the government. People are living a very unbearable life. "In this situation, the government is set to increase the price of electricity by 34 to 70 paisa per unit. Gas prices have also increased."

The opposition chief whip said the government used to say that thousands of crores of taka are being spent in paying subsidies. 

"But how will you reduce the subsidies? People are being crushed due to the price hike of essentials. An increase in the price of electricity means that the prices of many goods will increase with it. Because we produce many things with electricity."

He mentioned that the government was elected by the people just a month ago with high hopes and that the government increases the electricity and gas prices before Ramadan is intolerable.

"I would request the government not to increase the price of gas and electricity right now. You can think about this when the economy will come to a normal state," Chunnu said.

'Syndicate stronger than govt'

Anisul Islam Mahmud, deputy leader of opposition in parliament and co-chairman of Jatiya Party, asked why the market syndicate is stronger than the government.

He said there's no supply shortage in Bangladesh, but syndicates are manipulating prices. "These syndicates are powerful, even more so than the government." 

The government knows their identities, yet without strong intervention, they'll hike prices during Ramdan, he added.

The opposition leader further said syndicates now set daily prices via mobile phones, affecting sugar, eggs, oil, meat, and vegetables. Intelligence agencies have reports, yet no action has been taken against them anywhere.