Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Monday demanded the government decrease the power tariff after adjusting the oil price on the international market and revising the deals with private companies generating power through rental power plants.

Addressing a press briefing, party spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon also urged the government to pass the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2015-16 after reducing allocation for the power sector.

‘It’s necessary to ensure more transparency and accountability in the deals the government signed with private companies to generate power through quick rental power plants,’ the BNP leader said.

Mentioning that the oil price is now much cheaper on the international market than when the deals were signed, he said, ‘So, the power tariff must be brought down after reassessing the deals.’

‘We call upon the government to pass the proposed budget after lowering the allocation for the power sector. Or else, we’ll think that the government made the allocation to allow the ruling party men a chance to make quick buck.’

Ripon, BNP’s international affairs secretary, urged the government to increase the salaries of judges, teachers and traffic police.  

He also demanded the withdrawal of 10% value added tax (VAT) proposed in the budget on the country’s private universities, medical and engineering colleges.  

The BNP leader alleged that the government has destroyed the economy with its wrong policies. ‘Ruling party men plundered most of the state-owned banks.’

He also alleged that thousands crore of taka have been siphoned off abroad in the last few years. ‘But, no one is brought to justice for the money laundering.’