Govt avoids fuel, power price hikes to prevent public hardship

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir has said the government refrained from increasing fuel and electricity prices despite adverse conditions to protect people from further hardship.

Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion titled “Equitable Regional Development” at the Faridpur deputy commissioner’s office on Friday, he said that while raising energy prices is often considered a textbook solution, the government chose not to follow that path in the current situation.

“The government is accountable to farmers and ordinary citizens. A price hike could have intensified inflation, increased public suffering, and pushed more people into extreme poverty,” he said.

Referring to the global situation, Titumir noted that fuel prices were raised multiple times during the Ukraine war, but the current government avoided such measures out of responsibility to the people.

He also claimed that around nine million people have fallen below the poverty line over the past three years, adding that previous initiatives were often flawed and influenced by political misuse of power and public funds.

Highlighting policy changes, he said the BNP government has introduced universal family cards and farmer cards, which he believes will help reduce poverty.

He added that efforts have been made to expand formal financial inclusion, ensuring broader access to scheduled banking services, including for farmers.

The event was chaired by Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Md Kamrul Hasan Mollah. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam attended as a special guest.