Prime Minister's Informa-tion Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman on Saturday expressed hope that the recent hike in electricity and fuel prices will not have a significant impact on the market.
Amid a huge criticism from different corner of the people and stakeholders, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) withdrawn the increased rate from the "lifeline tariff" consumers, those are being using 0-to 70 units of electricity per month just after one day.
"We do not think that this will create a major impact on the market," he said at an emergency press briefing on energy and power held at the Press Information Department (PID) conference room in Secretariat.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon was also present at the event.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon said considering the existing global energy crisis and the country's internal reality, the incumbent government has remained 65 percent of the country's marginalised people out of the purview of the routine decision taken by Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) to increase electricity prices.
"About 65 percent of the country's general and low-income electricity users, who were under the BERC price hike decision, have been completely exempted from the additional pressure of this price hike," he said.
He said the BERC adjusted the electricity price as per its routine work based on a specific criterion.
"However, the government was determined to protect the marginalised people. As a result, even though this decision puts pressure on wealthy customers, 65 percent of the low-income general people will remain exempted from this price hike," he said.
In the briefing, Prime Minister's Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman read out a written statement on the activities of the Ministry of Power and Energy.
The information minister and the adviser highlighted the context of electricity and fuel price hike.
In the briefing, Swapon said in the current global context, all countries having import-dependent energy systems, including Bangladesh, are going through a major crisis.
He said that because of the mistakes of the previous policy that we have been hit hard and constrained by the global crisis. Now, as an importing country, we have to set our prices according to the global standards and obligations of the international market," he added.
"It will take some time to bring the entire sector out of this deep cycle of offense and corruption and return it to a healthy trend. However, the spirit or determination of the current government is very clear," he said.
Swapon said the government has taken a long-term plan to achieve self-sufficiency in energy and keep the price at an affordable level, while the ongoing immediate problems also have to be considered with great importance.
Mentioning that the burden of black money crimes has to be borne, he said the government still has to pay a huge subsidy of Taka 41,000 crore in the power sector.
He expressed the government's determination to develop a normal and regular process of information exchange between the government, media and the public in the interest of the people.
He said accountability for every work of the incumbent government will be constantly conveyed to the people through the media.''
Prime Minister's Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman today said the government has kept diesel prices unchanged to keep the transportation costs of commoners and the prices of essential commodities under control.
