11-party alliance stages protest over ongoing gas crisis, 'ghost' power bills

The Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance staged a protest rally in Dhaka on Thursday (August 6), using gas stoves and cooking pots as symbolic props to highlight the country's gas shortages, alleged "ghost" electricity bills and the soaring cost of essential commodities.

The demonstration began around 11:30am at Muktangon in Paltan, where women activists carried cooking stoves and pots while party leaders and supporters held banners, placards and festoons criticising the government's handling of the energy sector and the rising cost of living.

The programme caused traffic congestion in parts of Paltan, Bijoynagar and the Press Club area.

From the rally, the alliance announced a 10-point charter of demands, calling for a public inquiry into electricity bills collected over the past three months, punishment for those responsible for alleged irregularities, compensation for affected consumers, the abolition of demand charges, meter rents and other additional fees, and full transparency in the billing system.

The alliance also demanded refunds for excess charges collected from consumers.

The coalition further called for uninterrupted gas supply, expanded domestic gas exploration and production, investigations into LNG terminal failures, stronger measures against gas theft and system losses, wider deployment of smart metering, and uninterrupted energy supply for industries, businesses and power generation.

It also urged exemplary action against corruption and irregularities in the energy sector.

The programme was attended by Jamaat Ameer and Opposition Leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, LDP President Col (Retd.) Oli Ahmad, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar, and other senior leaders of the alliance.