New gas price to be announced tomorrow: Berc

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (Berc) will announce the new gas tariff at the consumer level tomorrow (June 5, 2022).

Berc has called a virtual press conference in this regard at 3:00 pm tomorrow.

According to a Berc press release, the commission's order on the new price rates at the consumer level of natural gas will be announced by the commission via a virtual press briefing.

In January, the state-owned gas distribution companies applied to Berc for a 117 percent hike in gas prices on average.

Apart from this, the state-owned Bangladesh Oil, Gas, and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla) also placed a separate proposal to increase the bulk price of natural gas.

Considering the proposals, the Berc held a public hearing from March 21 to 24 this year.

At the public hearing, consumer rights organisations placed alternate options to hike the price. But Berc's technical evaluation committee had recommended a 20 percent price hike on average at the hearing.

Later, the Consumers Association of Bangladesh and some business organisations urged the government not to hike the price when people are already in trouble with the ongoing inflation.