Without public hearing, it’s ‘illegal’: CAB

Consumers Association of Bangladesh has said the process of fixing fuel prices without holding any public hearings is "illegal".

Only the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has the jurisdiction to fix fuel prices, not the government, CAB leaders said at a virtual press conference yesterday.

Last week, two ministers hinted at raising fuel prices amid the price hike of crude oil and diesel in the international market.

Speaking at the press conference, CAB Vice President Prof M Shamsul Alam said the government is againtrying to increase fuel prices, which were hiked last November.

"They [the government] want to cut the subsidies by Tk 90 crore a day. But if the fuel prices are increased, the consumers' living costs, including transportation costs, will go up by hundreds of crores of taka."

Citing the BERC Act, Shamsul said the commissionhas all the jurisdictions to set prices of petroleum products after holding "public hearings", according to clauses 22 and 34 of the act.

"There are lots of corruption allegations against Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation. If the public hearing is held, consumers would be able to know how much extra money BPC takes from them for each litre of fuel," he said.

After the launch of public hearings in the gas and power sectors by the BERC, it was found that liquified petroleum gas [LPG] marketing companies were charging consumers Tk 150 extra per cylinder on average, Shamsul said.

"The gas and power supply companies had also been charging consumers extra money before the holding of public hearings."

He said the CAB has filed a writ petition challenging the price hike of diesel and kerosene in November through a government gazette. "The High Court is yet to deliver a verdict on the petition."

Prof Badrul Imam and Prof MM Akash of Dhaka University, architect Mubasshar Hussein, and CAB General Secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan also spoke at the press conference, among others.