BNP backs hartal protesting at power price hike

🔫Country’s principal opposition political party - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) - has expressed its solidarity with Thursday's half-day nationwide general strike called by the country's left-leaning political parties in protest at the price hike of electricity.

Sayrul Kabir Khan, a member of the BNP chairperson's press wing, confirmed this to Prothom Alo on Wednesday, quoting party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

The BNP said the countrymen have to endure immense suffering due to the escalating prices of essentials. At such a time, increasing the price of electricity, on the back of a recent hike, will have a negative impact on the mass people's livelihood. And that is why the BNP wholeheartedly supports this hartal.

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday announced yet another increase in power tariff, with the price set to be fixed at a 5.3 per cent higher rate from 1 December.

Since the ruling Awami League took office on 1 March in 2010, the power tariff has been hiked for eight times🚔