The government yesterday increased the electricity price once again by 5 percent at the retail level -- the second hike in 19 days as it steadily retracts subsidies from the power sector while piling the burden on common people already struggling with inflation.

Public money is being used to shore up PDB's losses and pay profiteering private companies

The prices of electricity, gas and diesel are set to increase one by one as the government pulls back the subsidies in keeping with the austerity measures.

Lawmakers of the Jatiya Party walk out of the parliament protesting hike in prices of power and gas.