Hiking gas price in advance illegal, alleges CAB

Consumer right groups yesterday at a special public hearing on gas price hike alleged that the state owned Petrobangla and its subsidiary body RPGCL are trying to raise gas price in advance on the basis of future cost of their development programmes which is totally illegal, reports UNB. "Petrobangla and RPGCL are trying charge the consumers even to show their dreams, not by selling product and service", said Prof Shamsul Alam, advisor to Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said making his argument against the proposal to raise gas price.

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) arranged the hearing at TCB Auditorium yesterday in the city responding to a special appeal of the Petrobangla and RPGCL.

Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL), which has been entrusted with the responsibility to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) and market it to different gas distribution companies across the country, proposed to raise its margin in the gas price by Tk 0.40 per cubic meter.

RPGCL said that it has to set up separate offices in Dhaka, Chittagong and Cox's bazar and also develop different infrastructures to import LNG and supply it to national gas network which involves a huge cost. Petrobangla also made the similar appeal to the BERC.

Opposing the RPGCL and Petrobangla proposal, the consumers groups said that these are futuristic programmes and consumers cannot be forced to pay in advance to avail a future benefit.

"It will be totally illogical and unfair to collect money in advance to show future development plan. People cannot pay money without availing any benefit", said Prof Shamsul Alam.

Eminent energy expert Prof raised question about the justification of the government's plan to import costly LNG without going for any gas exploration programme in the country.

He said it's not clear why Petrobangla is so much interested to import LNG when vast of the potential areas in the country remained unexplored. Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) leader Ruhin Hossain Price also spoke at the hearing opposing the gas price hike proposals.

With BERC chairman Monwar Islam in the chair, commission members Rahman Murshed, Mizanur Rahman and Abdul Aziz Khan were present at the hearing.

Earlier, the BERC held a series of hearing on gas price hike proposals placed by different gas distribution companies which argued that LNG will push up their cost. As per BERC Act, the commission will make its decision on the proposalswithin 90 daysfrom holding of the public hearing.

 

Hiking gas price in advance illegal, alleges CAB

Consumer right groups yesterday at a special public hearing on gas price hike alleged that the state owned Petrobangla and its subsidiary body RPGCL are trying to raise gas price in advance on the basis of future cost of their development programmes which is totally illegal, reports UNB. Petrobangla and RPGCL are trying charge the consumers even to show their dreams, not by selling product and service, said Prof Shamsul Alam, advisor to Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said making his argument against the proposal to raise gas price. Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) arranged the hearing at TCB Auditorium yesterday in the city responding to a special appeal of the Petrobangla and RPGCL. Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL), which has been entrusted with the responsibility to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) and market it to different gas distribution companies across the country, proposed to raise its margin in the gas price by Tk 0.40 per cubic meter. RPGCL said that it has to set up separate offices in Dhaka, Chittagong and Coxs bazar and also develop different infrastructures to import LNG and supply it to national gas network which involves a huge cost. Petrobangla also made the similar appeal to the BERC. Opposing the RPGCL and Petrobangla proposal, the consumers groups said that these are futuristic programmes and consumers cannot be forced to pay in advance to avail a future benefit. It will be totally illogical and unfair to collect money in advance to show future development plan. People cannot pay money without availing any benefit, said Prof Shamsul Alam. Eminent energy expert Prof raised question about the justification of the governments plan to import costly LNG without going for any gas exploration programme in the country. He said its not clear why Petrobangla is so much interested to import LNG when vast of the potential areas in the country remained unexplored. Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) leader Ruhin Hossain Price also spoke at the hearing opposing the gas price hike proposals. With BERC chairman Monwar Islam in the chair, commission members Rahman Murshed, Mizanur Rahman and Abdul Aziz Khan were present at the hearing. Earlier, the BERC held a series of hearing on gas price hike proposals placed by different gas distribution companies which argued that LNG will push up their cost. As per BERC Act, the commission will make its decision on the proposalswithin 90 daysfrom holding of the public hearing.