NCP threatens to blockade Petrobangla over proposed gas price hike

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has threatened to blockade Petrobangla and other gas offices in the capital if the government proceeds with the proposed increase in gas prices.

NCP Senior Joint Convener and Dhaka North Convener Ariful Islam Adib issued the warning today (1 August) while addressing a human chain and protest rally at Karwan Bazar's Saarc fountain, organised to protest the ongoing gas crisis and proposed tariff hike.

Adib alleged that gas supply to residential areas in Dhaka has remained almost suspended for the past 15 days, disrupting daily life, including children's school routines. He said the shortage has also affected gas-dependent industries and CNG drivers, leading to higher transport fares and commodity prices.

He claimed that the crisis was caused by technical problems at an LNG station in Cox's Bazar but alleged that the government has failed to take effective steps to resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, Petrobangla has proposed increasing the price of gas supplied to power plants from Tk16 to Tk25 per cubic metre and raising CNG prices from Tk43 to around Tk65 per cubic metre. The proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.

Adib alleged that the government had earlier increased fuel prices despite assurances that prices would remain unchanged, followed by electricity tariff hikes. He claimed that a similar strategy was now being used by creating an artificial gas shortage to justify another price increase.

He also alleged that electricity tariffs were increased without public hearings and warned that any hike in gas prices would trigger a stronger movement against the government.

NCP Joint Member Secretary Abdullah Al Mansur alleged that appointments to key positions in institutions like Petrobangla were influenced by financial interests and claimed that attempts were later made to sell national resources to foreign companies.

Youth Force Vice-President Touhidul Islam Touhid said the energy crisis remains one of the country's major challenges. He accused the government of worsening public hardship through supply shortages and rising costs.

Other speakers questioned whether the gas shortage was deliberately created to facilitate a price hike and called for greater efforts to extract domestic gas resources from Bhola and the Bay of Bengal.

After the rally, NCP leaders and activists held a symbolic march from Saarc fountain to the Petrobangla building.