Power tariff hike sparks Jamaat protest
Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar on Thursday demanded the immediate withdrawal of the latest electricity tariff hike, warning that the government would face public backlash if the decision is not reversed.
He made the demand while addressing a protest rally at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka. A procession was brought out after the rally.
Porwar said the tariff hike would increase pressure on ordinary consumers and affect industry, agriculture, trade and transport.
He alleged that the government had earlier assured people that electricity prices would not be increased, but later went back on that commitment.
The Jamaat leader said the government should have reduced corruption, system losses and capacity payment burdens in the power sector instead of shifting the cost onto consumers.
He also alleged that the tariff hike was linked to conditions set by the International Monetary Fund.
Porwar criticised the government over law and order, corruption, extortion and the banking sector, saying it had failed to fulfil promises made before assuming office.
Referring to Islami Bank, he alleged that the country’s largest Islamic bank had previously been looted by a business group and that the government was now trying to interfere in the institution again.
The protest rally was presided over by Nurul Islam Bulbul, ameer of Jamaat’s Dhaka South unit and MP from Chapainawabganj-3. It was conducted by Shafiqul Islam Masud, secretary of the Dhaka South unit and MP from Patuakhali-2.
Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and Sirajganj-4 MP Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan and Dhaka North unit Ameer Mohammad Selim Uddin, among others, also addressed the rally.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission has withdrawn the electricity tariff hike for lifeline residential users, a day after announcing the increase.
In an order issued on Thursday, BERC said the revised tariffs announced on June 3 for lifeline residential consumers using 0–50 units and first-slab residential consumers using 0–75 units would no longer take effect from the June billing month.
Jamaat leaders said the partial withdrawal was not enough and demanded a full rollback of the tariff hike to protect consumers from additional financial pressure.
