Protests against utility price hike continue
Different organisations on Saturday termed the government decision to hike prices of power and water as anti-people and unjust, continued protest against the decisions and demanded a withdrawal of the move.
The Left Democratic Alliance in a statement on Saturday announced to stage demonstration in front of the National Press Club today afternoon protesting against the government decisions.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, in a press conference, at the party central office also termed the decision anti-people and alleged that the government was not bothered about people’s woes.
He announced that the party would form human chains in all the cities and district towns on Monday protesting against the decisions and that the central programme would be held in front of the National Press Club at 11:00am on the day.
The Socialist Party of Bangladesh held a rally in front of the National Press Club Saturday afternoon protesting against and demanding immediate withdrawal of the government decision to hike prices of power and water.
Speakers in the rally said that Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority hiked water price 13 times in the past 12 years and Power Development Board hiked power price eight times in past 10 years.
They said that both the WASA and PDB were profitable service-oriented government organisations and that the power and water price hike was absolutely illogical and unethical.
They alleged that the two government organisations had, instead of providing proper services, turned into profit mongers.
The government decisions would not only bring woes to the common people but would also leave a negative impact on the country’s agriculture and industries.
Before going out on a procession, the BNP leaders urged the common people to organise tough movement to compel the government to withdraw the decisions.
Jatiya Party chairman GM Quader, addressing a programme organised by Jatiya Chhatra Samaj as the chief guest in the capital on Saturday, demanded that the government should review its decisions of increasing power and water prices and pointed out that the government decision would have a serious impact on the lives of common people. ‘The power price hike would have multidimensional impacts on the people as it would increase production cost of the essentials,’ said GM Quader, the deputy leader of the opposition in the parliament.
The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday increased the average retail price of electricity by 5.3 per cent with effect from today.
A circular of Dhaka WASA published on Friday in different national newspapers show that Dhaka city-dwellers will have to pay 24.98 per cent higher price for water from April 1.
The Socialist Party of Bangladesh brings out a procession in Dhaka on Saturday in protest against the price hike of power and other essentials. — New Age photo
News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net
