Gas price hike on the cards

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is in the final stage to hike gas prices by an average 50 per cent for consumers at all levels. After the hike, domestic users will have to pay Tk. 1,000 every month instead of Tk. 650 for double burners, which means a 53.84 per cent hike, said an official at BERC.
A charge of Tk. 800 has been proposed for single burners, he added. The current price is Tk. 600. The BERC official said that the date of announcement of the price hike has not been fixed yet. “The acting chairman is talking to the Prime Minister’s office to fix the date,” he said.
The official said the declaration of the new prices is being delayed as the two commissioners’ posts at BERC are vacant right now. Eight applications for the posts have been submitted to the ministry of power, energy and mineral resources. He hinted that the tenure of the acting chairman will end on December 22. He wants to declare the price hike before that so that his tenure might get renewed.
BERC acting chairman Md Maksudul Haque refused to comment on this. He pointed out that he was only the acting chairman. “We hope to have the new appointments very soon,” he added.
He said the energy regulator has completed all formalities and paperwork to hike the gas price after conducting a public hearing five months ago. “We may announce the decision anytime,” he said.
In August, BERC held an eight-day public hearing on gas transmission tariff and price-hike proposals submitted by the state-owned gas transmission and distribution companies.
The companies were Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Co. Ltd, Pashchimanchal Gas Co. Ltd, Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Co. Ltd, Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Co. Ltd, Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Ltd, and Sundarban Gas Co. Ltd.
They had proposed Tk. 1,200 for double burners, which was an 85 per cent hike. Tk. 1,100 had been proposed for single burners. Consumers using meter-based burners would have to pay Tk. 16.80 instead of Tk. 7 per cubic metre of gas, a 140 per cent increase, said the proposal.
The companies had also asked for an increase in prices of gas used for commercial purposes, in power plants and tea gardens.
Fertiliser companies and industrial users would also face a price hike under the proposal.

 

Gas price hike on the cards

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is in the final stage to hike gas prices by an average 50 per cent for consumers at all levels. After the hike, domestic users will have to pay Tk. 1,000 every month instead of Tk. 650 for double burners, which means a 53.84 per cent hike, said an official at BERC. A charge of Tk. 800 has been proposed for single burners, he added. The current price is Tk. 600. The BERC official said that the date of announcement of the price hike has not been fixed yet. The acting chairman is talking to the Prime Ministers office to fix the date, he said. The official said the declaration of the new prices is being delayed as the two commissioners posts at BERC are vacant right now. Eight applications for the posts have been submitted to the ministry of power, energy and mineral resources. He hinted that the tenure of the acting chairman will end on December 22. He wants to declare the price hike before that so that his tenure might get renewed. BERC acting chairman Md Maksudul Haque refused to comment on this. He pointed out that he was only the acting chairman. We hope to have the new appointments very soon, he added. He said the energy regulator has completed all formalities and paperwork to hike the gas price after conducting a public hearing five months ago. We may announce the decision anytime, he said. In August, BERC held an eight-day public hearing on gas transmission tariff and price-hike proposals submitted by the state-owned gas transmission and distribution companies. The companies were Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Co. Ltd, Pashchimanchal Gas Co. Ltd, Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Co. Ltd, Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Co. Ltd, Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Ltd, and Sundarban Gas Co. Ltd. They had proposed Tk. 1,200 for double burners, which was an 85 per cent hike. Tk. 1,100 had been proposed for single burners. Consumers using meter-based burners would have to pay Tk. 16.80 instead of Tk. 7 per cubic metre of gas, a 140 per cent increase, said the proposal. The companies had also asked for an increase in prices of gas used for commercial purposes, in power plants and tea gardens. Fertiliser companies and industrial users would also face a price hike under the proposal.