The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) proposed to create a fund under Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) to develop the sector by using the security money deposited by consumers and unused accumulated money.
CAB said that currently there is over Tk 70,000 crore that is accumulating in the exchequer and Tk 10,000 consumers’ security deposit money lying unused can be used to plan developing the energy sector in the country.
The CAB leaders made the proposal at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital on Sunday. Samsul Alam, Energy Advisor of CAB said in the conference that the proposal for electricity price hike is not fair. CAB earlier had submitted a proposal to BERC to reduce power generation cost. “If BERC considers the proposal then there is no need to raise cost of electricity,” said a CAB official.
“There has been unnecessary expenditure of around taka 10,549 crore for power generation, transmission and distributions. Whereas Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) is offering subsidy of around taka 7,353 crore. We have proposed readjustment in line with the BERC proposal,” he added.
Energy expert Badrul Imam said that Bangladesh should provide affordable fuel to reduce power generation cost. Otherwise, there is no possibility of supplying electricity at affordable price. To this end, it is very important to start exploration work in the Bay of Bengal, hilly area as soon as possible.
Among others, CAB President Ghulam Rahman, General Secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan, Columnist Syed Abul Maksud, Architect Mubasshar Hussein were also present at the press conference.
