The Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) has proposed raising wholesale electricity prices by up to 21 percent at a public hearing held at the KIB auditorium in Dhaka on Wednesday (May 20) morning. The proposal includes an increase of Tk 1.5 per unit.
At the hearing, PDB Chief Engineer Md. Rezaul Karim said the power sector could face serious financial risk if prices are not adjusted. He cited projected deficits of Tk 62,000 crore in the current fiscal year and Tk 65,000 crore in the next fiscal year.
Politicians, business leaders, and consumer rights groups, including CAB, strongly opposed the proposal. They argued that the burden of financial losses is being shifted to consumers.
Stakeholders warned that a price hike would increase the cost of essential goods and negatively affect industrial production. They called for a review and reduction of the proposed increase.
The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is set to hold another public hearing on Thursday on a separate petition to raise retail electricity prices.
