Politicians, academics and professionals on Wednesday urged the government to introduce a people-friendly policy to ensure the country’s energy security.

They made the call at a discussion on ‘energy security and people-friendly energy policy’ organised by the Ganosamhati Andolan at the National Press Club in the capital.

The party’s executive coordinator, Abul Hassan Rubel, referring to the government decision of increasing fuel prices, said that all sorts of transport fares and prices of essential commodities would increase due to the decision.

He said that the fuel price hike would also increase people’s suffering as it would increase their living costs.

Addressing the discussion as the chair, Ganosamhati Andolan’s acting chief coordinator Dewan Abdur Rashid Nilu  called on the government to curb corruption in the energy sector immediately. ‘Otherwise, it would increase people’s sufferings more and more.’

The party’s central leader Firoz Ahmed said that the country’s energy sector had now become dependent on imports, but we should introduce other sources for the energy sector.

Energy adviser to the Consumer Association of Bangladesh, M Shamsul Alam, said that the government must control owners of petrol pumps and the LPG businessmen to ensure the country’s energy security.

Dhaka University teacher Moshahida Sultana, Jahangirnagar University teacher  Hassan Ashraf, Ganosamhati Andolan central leaders Taslima Akhter, Monir Uddin Pappu, and Golam Mostafa, among others, also spoke.