Cabinet Meeting

Ordinance empowering govt to set prices being converted into law

The Cabinet meeting was held at the Prime Minister's Office on Monday (January 9). Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over it. Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain gave this information in the afternoon after the meeting.

He said it was earlier issued in the form of an ordinance. Since Parliament was not in session at that time, we issued it in the form of an ordinance. Now Parliament is in motion and there is a constitutional obligation to raise it in Parliament. In order to convert the ordinance into law, it has to be taken up again in Parliament in the ordinary process. That is why the Cabinet has given in-principle and final approval to the previous Ordinance for presentation in Parliament.

Earlier on November 28, the cabinet gave final approval to the draft of the 'Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022'. On December 1, President Md. Abdul Hamid issued the 'Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022'. This ordinance says that along with BERC, the government can increase or decrease the price of electricity and fuel. The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission has amended the Act to include a new section entitled Power of Government to fix, re-fix, or adjust tariffs.

That section states, "Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provision of this Act, the Government may, by notification in the Government Gazette, in particular cases, for the purpose of coordination of subsidy, ensure uninterrupted supply of energy in the public interest, according to the demand of agriculture, industry, fertiliser, trade and domestic work. With a view to increasing production, transmission, transportation and marketing of electricity generation, energy transmission, storage, marketing, supply, distribution and consumer level tariff determination, rescheduling or adjustment to facilitate the adoption of effective measures."