Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar today demanded the immediate withdrawal of the latest electricity tariff hike, warning that the government would otherwise have to face public backlash.
He made the remarks as the chief guest at a protest rally held at the north gate of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka. A procession was brought out following the rally.
Porwar said the BNP-led government has disappointed people by failing to fulfil various promises made before assuming office.
He alleged that the government also failed to curb the deterioration of law and order, corruption, and extortion.
Criticising the latest increase in electricity tariffs, he said the government had assured the public only a few months ago that power prices would not be raised. However, it later backtracked on that commitment and raised electricity prices for consumers, a move that would affect industry, agriculture, trade, transport, and ordinary citizens alike.
The Jamaat leader alleged that instead of reducing corruption, system losses, and the burden of capacity payments in the power sector, the government shifted the costs onto consumers.
Porwar also alleged that the tariff hike was aimed at meeting conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Referring to Islami Bank, Porwar alleged that the country's largest Islamic bank had previously been subjected to looting by a business group and that the government was now attempting to interfere in the institution again.
He also claimed that the government had failed to take effective steps to address problems in the banking sector while prioritising actions that increased public suffering.
The rally was presided over by Nurul Islam Bulbul, ameer of Jamaat's Dhaka South unit and MP from Chapainawabganj-3. It was conducted by Shafiqul Islam Masud, secretary of the Dhaka South unit and MP from Patuakhali-2.
Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and Sirajganj-4 MP Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan and party's Dhaka North unit Ameer Mohammad Selim Uddin, among others, also addressed the gathering.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has withdrawn its electricity tariff hike for lifeline residential users -- low-income or marginal consumers -- just a day after announcing the increase, keeping the previous rates unchanged from the June billing month.
In an order issued today, the regulator said the revised tariffs announced on June 3 for lifeline residential consumers using 0-50 units and first-slab residential consumers using 0-75 units would no longer take effect.
