Govt’s executive authority to raise power, gas prices cancelled thru ordinance

The government issued a gazette notification cancelling its executive authority to raise power and gas prices without public hearing by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC).
The gazette, issued by Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, dated on August 27, 2024, said that through this amendment, the section 34Ka of the BERC Act 2003 will be abolished.
Officials of the power and energy ministry said that this Section 34Ka was introduced by the previous Awami League government giving the government an authority to set the prices of power and gas through executive power without a public hearing.
The new amendment came in line with the Advisor of the Ministry Power, Energy and Mineral Resources of the interim government Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan’s recent statement that the government will not raise gas and power prices without public hearing.
After this latest amendment, if any entity of the government wants to raise the price of power or gas, it has to submit a proposal to the BERC and then after examination BERC will hold a public hearing and then announce its decision on the issue within 90 days.