Blaming the government for its failure to control the soaring prices of essentials, BNP has warned that it will organize protest programs if the price of electricity is increased further.
“The government is now trying to increase the price of electricity. We will surely launch protests if the power price is increased this time," Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Tuesday (Dec 3).
Fakhrul made the remarks at a media briefing on the unusual price hike of essential commodities at the party's Nayapaltan central office, reports UNB.
The senior BNP leader said, “The price of many essential items has become intolerable due to corruption and plundering by the government and its syndicate, bringing about immense suffering for people.
"Businessmen of the ruling party are responsible for raising the prices of essentials,” he added.
Calling for united efforts to remove the current government, the BNP leader said the price hike of onions and power not only affects BNP but all people.
“The government is responsible for the unbearable market prices of essential items. Breaking the ruling party’s business syndicate, regulating the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, and checking the extortion in the transport sector is the only solution to rein in the price hike of commodities,” he said.
The BNP leader said the government must take action against all types of business syndicates to ensure food security.
“Though there is no shortage in the supply of essential commodities, their prices are increasing as the government is protecting the interests of its party’s business people.”
He alleged that a situation of lawlessness has been created in Bangladesh due to the ‘farcical’ election, widespread corruption, and the growing incidents of enforced disappearance, killing, and rape.
“The government has failed to control the market. Its failure is reflected in the unbearable price hike of essential items, including that of onions, rice, pulses, oil and salt,” the BNP leader said.
“Overall, the price of everything used for cooking in everyday life has gone beyond the buying capacity of the general people,” he observed.
Criticizing the ruling party leaders for asking people not to consume onions due to its intolerable price hike, Fakhrul said the responsibility of government is to control the prices of commodities, not to decide who will eat what.