Electricity price may hike upto 20pc

The authorities of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) are going to announce the new electricity tariff on Wednesday where the retail price may increase by an average of 15 to 20 per cent.

However, no change is being made to the ‘lifeline’ facility for low-income consumers for the time being.

On condition of anonymity, a senior BERC official said that the price increase rate per unit would be finalized in the commission’s technical committee meeting at 11:00am. The new tariff may be announced later in the afternoon.

Sources said that the new tariff is planned to be implemented from June.

BERC Chairman Jalal Ahmed said that the technical committee is working on the issue and an announcement in this regard may be made Wednesday.

According to people concerned, the initiative to adjust the price has been taken as part of fulfilling the conditions of International Monetary Fund (IMF) and reducing subsidies in the energy sector.

Earlier, a cabinet committee recommended increasing the price by Tk 1 to Tk 1.50 per unit.

Electricity price rescheduling announcement Wednesday