Left-leaning parties call hartal July 7

Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) today called a half-day hartal across the country on July 7 protesting gas tariff hike.

The left-leaning party alliance came up with the announcement after a meeting of the party’s regulatory council at its Mukti Bhaban office in Dhaka this noon.

Shah Alam, general secretary of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), said the government has increased the gas price illogically.

“We will observe countrywide hartal from 6:00am to 2:00pm on July 7 protesting the government decision,” Alam said.

According to the new tariff, households using a single burner will pay Tk 925 instead of Tk 750 a month. Those using a double burner will pay Tk 975 in place of Tk 800.

The energy regulator yesterday raised tariff for all users, saying the move would help the government bear the expenses of importing liquefied natural gas.

With this, gas tariff for households has more than doubled in the last decade.

Gas price was last hiked in June 2017.