Fakhrul slams govt price hikes, public suffering 

The government has become extremely "cruel and merciless" and does not care for the welfare and wellbeing of the people, says BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

"This is a government by the businessman, for the businessman, of the businessman," Fakhrul alleged while asserting that an avaricious and selfish business group is running the country.

As a result of this, every time when there is a conflict of interest, the interest of businessmen always gets preference, he added.

"When the middle class and lower-middle-class people of the country are being crushed by the abnormal hike of commodity prices, insensitive remarks made by minister feels like a rubbing salt into the wounds," he said while speaking during a press conference at BNP chairperson's Gulshan office on Wednesday.

He lambasted the sudden fuel price hike in the country noting that the rate of crude oil in the global market has dropped to $90 from $130 and is dropping further.

The BNP leader blamed the government for using the foreign exchange reserve shortage as an excuse to suddenly increase the prices while it could be adjusted using the profits made by the state's oil monopoly, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).

The BPC is the only profit-making government agency that has made a profit to the tune of Tk48,000 crore over the last eight years by selling fuel to consumers at prices higher than in the global market.

"With this unreasonable, inhumane and inconsiderate action, the government has placed the burden of its reckless corruption, mismanagement and ineffectiveness on the shoulders of the common people."

Suggesting a temporary tax waiver on fuel oil import, Mirza Fakhrul claimed that NBR, as a part of the government, could have waived this tax but they won't because they need a lot of money to implement the mega projects.

"NBR wants to source all that money from the pocket of common people," he remarked.

Citing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who on 27 July said there is no need to buy octane-petrol as it comes as a by-product from the gas we extract, Fakhrul criticized the recent price hike of these two fuels as "illogical."

The BNP leader once again today urged everyone remain on the streets as in the past for the downfall of the government.

"Everyone should unite against the corrupt and authoritarian government to get rid of it and through mass movement and establish a people's government in a true sense," he furthered.