Desk Report
Published: 06 Aug 2022, 06:29 pm
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir || File Photo
Slamming
the government for raising the fuel prices, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul
Islam Alamgir on Saturday voiced concern that it will hit the common people
hard as the prices of all essential items will go up further.
“The
fuel prices were abruptly increased by almost 50 percent last night (Friday
night). It’s just rubbing salt in the wounds,” he said.
The
BNP leader came up with the remarks while addressing a rally in front of BNP’s
Nayapaltan central office arranged by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, protesting the
killing of its Bhola district unit president Noor-e-Alam and local Swechhasebak
Dal leader Abur Rahim in police firing on July 31.
Stating
that the presence of vehicles on the roads has reduced significantly on
Saturday, Fakhrul said the fuel price hike will have a terrible impact on the
economy of the country and badly affect people.
“Because
the transportation cost will go up which will ultimately push up the prices of
all essential commodities, including rice, pulses, salt and edible oils.
“The
country will be affected and the common people, including the day-labourers,
will be hit hard,” he feared.
The
BNP leader alleged that the government has long been giving people false
information about the country’s foreign exchange reserves. “But they’ve now
sought a $4.5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as the
reserves shrunk.”
He
said the IMF has given tough conditions for receiving its loan including
withdrawing the government’s subsidies from different products and sectors.
“So, they (govt) are now doing that (to get the loan)."
The
BNP leader said state minister for power and energy Nasrul Hamid on Friday
hinted at a slight increase in the fuel prices keeping them at a tolerable
level, but the prices were raised greatly at night.
He
said the government has been repeatedly hiking the prices of power, gas, fuel
and soybean oil, leaving the country’s people in serious suffering. “The prices
of green chilies are now Tk300. People have got agitated and unnerved due to
such repression."
Stating
that the current government has now become a ''dreadful ‘monster'', Fakhrul
said it is now the only responsibility of the patriotic people to dislodge this
regime to save the country from ruination.
Strongly
condemning the police firing at their party’s peaceful programme in Bhola, he
said this government has been staying in power by spreading fear, shooting
people and killing and injuring them. “That’s why the incidents of killing have
been taking place. The sacrifices of Noor-e-Alam and Abdur Rahim will make our
movement for democracy stronger and intensify it.”
Fakhrul
alleged that the Awami League government is not only attacking opposition
parties and BNP but also indulging in widespread corruption to secure its
illegal power.