HC questions legality of power tariff hike

The High Court issued on Sunday a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why the decision of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) hiking power tariff at the retail and wholesale levels should not be declared illegal, reports UNB.
An HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal issued the rule after hearing a writ petition.
BERC, its chairman, and power, energy and mineral resources secretary have been asked to reply to the rule within four weeks.
Architect Mubassher Hossain filed the writ on May 23 challenging the decision.
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, who stood for the petitioner, said the BERC held a mass hearing from September 25 to October 05 last year on the power tariff hike.
As per law, it was supposed to issue a written order on the mass hearing within 90 days.
However, without issuing any written order, the state-owned body hiked the power tariff on November 23 last.