Left leaders slam PM for gas price hike comment

Leaders of the left-leaning political parties differed from the prime minster Sheikh Hasina’s Thursday’s claim on gas price hike in the parliament and alleged that that wrong policies and corruptions in the gas sector were responsible for gas price hike.

The prime minster on Thursday claimed in the parliament that the people who were demonstrating against the gas price hike were failing to understand the reality and did not see the development activities carried out by the current government.

On June 30, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission increased gas price by 32.8 per cent on an average for all consumers ignoring opposition from all sections of people and directly affecting 43.10 lakh consumers, including 42.81 household consumers.

The price hike came in effect from July 1.

After the gas price hike, the cost of using a single burner has risen to Tk 925 per month from Tk 750 while the cost has risen to Tk 975 from Tk 800 for using a double burner and the price of per cubic metre of gas has been increased to Tk 9.80 from Tk 7.38. 

The PM had said that the import cost of a cubic foot of liquefied natural gas was Tk 61.12, but it was being sold at Tk 9.80 per cf by providing a huge subsidy of Tk 51.80.

Left Democratic Alliance, a platform of seven left political parties, on July 7, enforced countrywide eight hour general strike protesting against the gas price hike and called on the government to withdraw the price hike.

If otherwise, they threatened tougher movements to compel the government to revoke the decision.

Communist Party of Bangladesh president, a partner of the LDA, Mujahidul Islam Selim, told New Age, on Friday, that wrong policies and corruptions in the gas sector were responsible for recent gas price hike.

The import of liquefied natural gas could be avoided extracting gas from the gas fields.

Moreover, Bangladesh is buying LP gas from the word market at a higher price than that of India.

The expenditures of the gas sector could be reduced 50 per cent checking the sector’s wrong policy and after eradicating corruption, Selim said.

He demanded an open discussion on the issue of gas price hike.

Socialist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Khalequzzaman said that they were not against the development works of the country but against the sufferings of the common people in the name of development.

The sufferings of the common people would be increased after the gas price hike, Khalequzzaman argued.

Mosharraf Hossain Nannu, coordinator of the alliance and also general secretary of the United Communist League of Bangladesh, said that after increasing the gas price, prices of the essential commodities would go up and house rent and transport fares would also increase.

When gas price decreased in international market, there was no rationale behind the price hike at home, he observed.

He also said the government should focus on controlling of corruptions and mismanagements in the gas sector.

The combine would wage tougher movement if the government did not pull out from the decision, he added.

The LDA would hold its programme of laying siege to energy ministry on July 14 and called on the people to take part in the programme.

Ganasamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki said that government could save Tk 16 thousand crore per year curbing corruptions in Titas Gas and revising its wrong policies.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the government hiked gas price to give their people an unethical advantage to make illegal money even though it affected the common people.

The government could not take such a decision if they had accountability and responsibility to the people and if they could shun corruption.

Gono Forum executive president Subrata Chowdhury  said, his party had drawn up a series of programmes against the gas price hike.

We do not want corruptions looting of public money in the name of development, Subrata added.

Leaders of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports also opposed the demand of the prime minster on the gas price issue.

Committee’s convener Sheikh Muhammad Shaheedullah and member secretary Anu Muhammad, in a press statement, called on the government to take necessary steps to strengthen Petrobangla and BAPEX for extraction of gas from our gas fields. 

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net