Consumer rights groups formed a human chain in the city on Monday in protest against the move to increase gas price, terming it irrational and discriminatory against people.
They also demanded that such a move be cancelled immediately.
Bangladesh Shadharan Nagorik Samaj staged the protest at Karwan Bazar.
The rights activists alleged that some gas companies are plundering a huge sum of money by supplying gas through illegal connections and now trying to make the people shoulder the loss by proposing gas price hike.
More surprisingly, instead of taking action against corruption and looting, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has organised a mass hearing on the gas price hike, they added.
Gas tariff can be raised not more than once in a fiscal year according to a provision of BERC, but the move to hike prices is underway defying this provision, said Bangladesh Shadharan Nagorik Samaj convener Mohiuddin Ahmed.
If the proposed price hike of 66 per cent comes into effect, it will create a chaos in the all sector in the country, the speakers said.
Once the proposed price hike is implemented, electricity generation cost and production cost of fertilisers would go up, they pointed out.
CPB leader Ruhin Hossain Prince, secretary general of Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) central leader Rajekuzzaman Ratan spoke at the event.
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