Slaying the slain through tariff hike: GM Quader

Opposing the government's move to hike the tariffs of power and water, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader today said it will only inflict immense sufferings on people already struggling to cope with the increased prices of essentials.

 

Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, urged the government to review its decision on increasing the prices of the two important utility services.

 

"Suddenly raising the power and water tariffs means slaying the slain," he said while addressing a programme of Jatiya Chhatra Samaj, the student wing of Jatiya Party, at a city hotel.

 

The Jatiya Party chief said the government has raised the tariffs of water and power to reduce subsidies. "But the government gives subsidies considering the welfare of the county's poor."

 

He said the costs of production, transportation and marketing go up with the rise in power tariff which ultimately pushes up the prices of essential commodities.

 

Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) on Friday announced to hike the water tariff for both residential and commercial users.

 

The price of per unit (1,000 litres) of water has been fixed at Tk 14.46 from the existing Tk 11.57, a rise by 24.97 percent, for residential users while Tk 40 from the current Tk 37.04, up by 9.94 percent, for commercial consumers.

 

The new rates will come into effect on April 1, the notice said.

 

On Thursday, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) announced to increase the power tariff on a weighted average by 5.3 percent at retail and 8.4 percent at wholesale levels with effective from March 1.

 

This is the ninth time Awami League government has increased the power tariffs in a decade.