Govt will ensure reasonable transport fare hike to ease public suffering: Zahed

Prime Minister's Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Zahed Ur Rahman today (22 September) said the government will try to ensure a reasonable increase in transportation fares to ease public suffering following the fuel price hike.

"We will make every effort to ease the hardships caused by the price hike," he said in response to a question from journalists at a press briefing on the progress of various government ministries and current affairs, held at the Press Information Department (PID) conference room at the Secretariat this afternoon (22 September).

Zahed said that the government will also strive to stand by the most vulnerable members of society.

"Efforts will be made to expand food assistance programmes, OMS [Open Market Sale], and similar initiatives so that more people can benefit from these," he added.

Responding to a question about raising fuel prices, Zahed said, "The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has no condition requiring Bangladesh to raise fuel prices."

Zahed also said, "The overall energy situation is not very favourable at the moment; it is highly volatile. I agree that prices have come down slightly over the past two or three days in the international market, but there is little possibility that this trend will be sustained."

"Considering recent global conflicts, there is also little scope for oil prices to come down further in the near future," he added.

Asked whether the fuel price hike could make the government unpopular, Zahed said, "We would ask for the people's understanding on this matter. Local government elections are ahead, so the government does face a risk.

"We would not say there is no risk associated with this fuel price hike."