Not setting price of LPG: HC issues contempt of court rule against BERC chairman

The High Court today issued a contempt of court rule against the chairman of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) for not complying with its directive over setting the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

In the rule, the HC asked the BERC chairman to explain in two weeks why contempt of court proceedings should not be brought against him and why he should not be punished for not implementing its directive.

The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim came up with the rule during hearing a petition filed by Consumers' Association of Bangladesh (CAB).

Petitioner's lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua told The Daily Star that following the same petition another HC bench on August 25 this year ordered BERC and its chairman to set LPG price after holding a mass hearing on the issue and to submit a report to this court in 30 days after complying with the directive.

Jyotirmoy said BERC has not set any LPG price after 2009 although it is supposed to do that every year, comparing with the international market price.