Dhaka, Jan. 14 -- It was all in people's expectation that power prices would be hiked soon, and it was finally done yesterday through an executive order. The government increased the average retail electricity price by 5 per cent and the demand charge for electricity for almost all types of consumers by up to 42 per cent.

Soon after raising the bulk price of electricity by 19.92 per cent a few days ago at this crisis time when people are struggling to make ends meet, the cabinet approved a draft amendment to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Act enabling the government to adjust energy prices through executive order bypassing the commission.

It was a clear indication that the government did not have time to go through t...