Gas price hike: Leftists call hartal in Dhaka on Feb 28
Leftist political parties today called a half-day hartal in Dhaka on February 28 protesting the gas tariff hike.
The leftist political parties include Communist Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD-Marx), Biplobi Workers Party, Gonotantrik Biplobi Party and Gonotantrik Bam Morcha.
“The hartal will begin from 6:00am and will continue till 12:00pm in the capital Dhaka,” Mujahidul Islam Selim, president of Communist Party of Bangladesh, told The Daily Star this evening.
Apart from this, they will stage demonstration and hold protest rallies across the country on the day to press home their demand, Selim said.
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) yesterday raised gas prices for all consumers by 22.7 percent and decided to implement the hike in two phases.
As per the new hike, households using double burners have to pay Tk 800 each from next month compared to Tk 650 now, while those using single burners have to pay Tk 750 each against Tk 600. The prices would be increased again on June 1 by another Tk 150 for each gas stove.
Selim, however, said the vehicles those will carry the Secondary School Certificate examinees will remain out of purview of the hartal.
Meanwhile, addressing a rally in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, leaders of the leftist parties termed the gas price hike as undemocratic and said, “This was an act of betrayal with people’s interest.”
The government cannot hike the price of gas as all the gas distribution companies were making a good profit with the previous price, the speakers said.
The people’s livelihood will be affected adversely and transportation and production cost in agriculture and industry will increase due to hiking of the gas price, they said.
They observed that the purchasing capacity of common people will come down and the country’s overall economy will face a tough challenge for the hike.
Saiful Haque, general secretary of Biplobi Workers Party, Moshrefa Mishu, general secretary of Gonotantrik Biplobi Party and others spoke at the rally with Firoz Ahmed coordinator of the Gonotantrik Bam Morcha in the chair.
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