DHAKA:  After setting up of quick rental power plants in 2011, the government several times made a pledge of decreasing power price by 2014 explaining that the average cost of electricity general would go down.

“But the price increases, why” Rafiqul Islam from Chittagong raised the question.

In response, Power and energy affairs specialist Journalist Rafiqul Bashar replied that the failure of the government in introducing low-cost, long-term plants in five years caused the power price hike.

Low-cost long-term power plants are essential to ensure supply of electricity among consumers in cheaper rate, Rafiqul Bashar added.

As per the plan, the low cost power plant are yet to start production, even most of those power plants are yet to set up.

As a result, consumers have to pay more money for electricity consumption, he added.

On February 13, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has increased the retail power tariff by 6.96% per unit (kilowatt-hour) on an average, with the price rising from Tk5.75 to Tk6.15; a price hike of Tk0.40.

The new tariff – which was announced without introducing any subsidy – will come into effect from the current billing month.

BDST: 1223 HRS, MAR 19, 2014