Dhaka, Dec. 24 -- The government has placed the yoke of buying prepaid meters on the consumers' shoulders by issuing a gazette from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources on December 11, which said that the household gas consumers have to buy their own meters from the market.

As per the new policy of prepaid gas meter installation and purchase, the consumers have to request the utility agencies to install the meters. Although, prepaid meter is an imported item, the gazette does not discuss the issue of the country of origin of the prepaid meters to be installed.

"It is a completely wrong policy. The utility companies should import it and take the money from the consumers like prepaid electricity meter," Energy Expert Dr M Tamim to...