Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for formulating a strategy to reduce subsidies on different sectors, especially gas and electricity sectors.
“She instructed to reduce gas and electricity subsidies gradually for the commercial sector,” Planning Minister MA Mannan told the media after the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday.
The prime minister joined the meeting through videoconferencing from her official residence Ganabhaban in Dhaka.
Mannan said the prime minister asked to reduce subsidies on the utility services for the big industrial sectors as those who avail the services there are not poor.
“Subsidy is not the solution for any civilised country. We have to gradually move away from gas and electricity subsidies,” the minister added.
However, State Minister for Planning Prof Shamsul Alam said the prime minister did not give any instruction to stop providing subsidies in the agriculture sector.
“Providing subsidies in the sector will continue. Besides, the government will continue to provide subsidies for underprivileged and poor people across the country.”
