Gonasamhati Andolan (GSA) has urged the government to play an active role in immediately resolving the LPG cylinder crisis and bringing prices down to a tolerable level.
In a joint press statement issued on Sunday by GSA Central Executive Committee, Acting Chief Coordinator Dewan Abdur Rashid Nilu and Executive Coordinator Abul Hasan Rubel said official increase in LPG prices, combined with cylinder shortage and skyrocketing prices in the market, will adversely affect public life.
They demanded a shift in energy policy, the organisation of public hearings prior to any price hikes, an immediate end to hoarding, and strict market monitoring.
The leaders highlighted that instead of easing public life and revitalising the productive sector through energy price controls, the policy of raising energy prices generates risks of overall economic stagnation and inflation.
They added that citizens are ultimately paying far higher costs than the government’s official price increases.
Moreover, they called on the government to take immediate measures to prevent importing companies from creating artificial shortages by exploiting their monopoly business opportunities.
To restore momentum to the economy, the leaders emphasised implementing a policy to avoid raising energy prices as far as possible.
They insisted that public hearings must be held for any increase in energy tariffs, immediate initiatives must be taken to stop hoarding, and strict monitoring must be enforced across both wholesale and retail markets so that LPG cannot be sold above fixed price under any circumstances.
