Scrap hike in transport fare, fuel price: CAB

The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) has asked the government to scrap the recent fuel price hike along with the fare hike in buses and launches.

The association, at a virtual press conference on Monday, also demanded submission of a proposal to increase fuel price to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission for evaluation.

CAB’s energy adviser Prof Shamsul Alam suggested that the cost of fuel supply should be commensurate with the revenue demand. The CAB has requested to scrap the decision of fuel price hike and send the proposal of price hike to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), he said.

Stating that the decision of fuel price hike was not prudent, CAB Chairman Ghulam Rahman said “It was a bureaucratic decision while a political decision was needed in this regard.”

Frequent changes in fuel prices is not desirable for a stable and dynamic economy of the country, he said, adding that “Price hike of diesel and kerosene would not be necessary if the proposal to form a fuel security fund was implemented earlier.”

On November 3, the government increased diesel and kerosene prices by Tk15 to Tk80 per litre at the retail level.

This sudden hike triggered agitation among transport owners and workers while they called an indefinite strike which continued for three days causing acute sufferings to the commuters.