Staff Reporter: The FBCCI, a top business body, has objected to the move to raise electricity and gas prices amid the epidemic and the Ukraine war that has created a global crisis.
Jasim Uddin, president of the organization, said: Inflation has also risen.
“The impact of rising gas and electricity prices at the wholesale level in these difficult times will drive inflation.”
The FBCCI president said this at a press conference at the Federation building in Dhaka’s Motijheel on Saturday to respond to the initiative to increase the price of electricity and gas.
The Technical Evaluation Committee of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission has recently recommended a 58 percent increase in the price of wholesale electricity. Although no decision has been taken to increase the price of gas, it is also under discussion.
The FBCCI president said: “Now is not the time for price hikes. The world situation needs to be monitored for at least six months. If the price goes up now, the production cost will double. The domestic industry will be shut down. ”
The business community called for the decision on electricity and gas to be taken by politicians instead of bureaucrats to protect the industry.
The traders have asked the government for an advance plan on how much the price of gas and electricity will be increased in the next 20 years.
Jasim Uddin said, “Then businessmen and foreign investors can plan their business. Foreign investment will increase. ”
