'Don't want to make excuses': PM apologises over energy crisis
The prime minister says the government is working on a plan to prevent future energy shortages.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has apologised to people suffering from the country's ongoing fuel and power crisis, saying the government is working on a plan to tackle the shortages.
"The Bangladesh Nationalist Party is currently responsible for running the country. Many people, including owners of industries and factories, are facing electricity and fuel shortages. On behalf of the party, I apologise to all of them," he said.
He made the remarks as the chief guest at a discussion organised to mark the 48th founding anniversary of the BNP at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium in the capital's Farmgate today (5 September).
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The programme was held under the slogan, "We will work, we will build the country, Bangladesh first."
The prime minister said the government was trying to resolve problems it had inherited from the previous and interim governments.
"We [the government] do not want to use them merely as an excuse. Rather, we want to present the reality and take steps so that the country does not face such problems again in the future," he added.
He also said the government had adopted an action plan to address the energy crisis, but implementing it would take time.
"Just as it takes time to formulate an action plan, it also takes some time to implement it," he said, adding that the plan was aimed at preventing another fuel crisis even if new crises emerged around the world in the future.
He further said some political parties and individuals were using the problems facing the country to create confusion and stir disorder.
"We never said there are no problems. There are problems, of course, in different areas. But some political parties and individuals are trying to create confusion in different ways and, through that, create disorder in the country by exploiting these issues," he said.
The prime minister said the people had given the government the responsibility of running the country and that it would uphold democratic principles.
"We will do our utmost to uphold the principles and values of democracy. But if anyone tries to create disorder, the law clearly sets out how such disorder should be dealt with.
"As an elected government, we want to make it clear that everyone should stay within their limits," he said.
He also said the government's goal was to run the country democratically and protect people's democratic rights.
"Our goal is to run the country democratically and uphold the democratic rights of its people. Thousands of our leaders and activists have sacrificed their lives for democracy. At the same time, dear colleagues, we want to build a humane state. We want a democracy where no one is prevented from speaking."
The discussion was chaired by BNP Acting Secretary General and the prime minister's political adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. BNP Central Publicity Secretary and State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku moderated the discussion.
