SC extends endorsement on gas price hike

Staff Correspondent: The Supreme Court (SC) has extended its approval on the second phase gas price hike this year.

Uphelding the Chamber Judge's stay order against the HC order, the apex court also asked the HC bench that stayed the second hike to hear and dispose of its rule issued over the legality of the increment by July 31.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order following a plea moved by Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) seeking stay on the HC order.

With the order, there is no bar to hike the second phase price of gas which would be effective from June, lawyers said.

The HC on February 28 stayed for six months the government's decision to enforce a further increase in gas price within a span of three months after the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) filed a petition questioning the legality of the move.

Households using double burners have been paying Tk 800 a month each from March 1 and single burners Tk 750 after the energy regulator raised gas prices for all consumers by 22.7 percent.

While announcing the gas price hike on February 23, BERC said the prices would be increased again by Tk 150 in the second phase. Therefore, the monthly gas bill for a double burner will be Tk 950 and for a single burner Tk 900 from June 1.


risingbd/Dhaka/June 5, 2017/Mehedi/A K Azad