Gas price hike only to facilitate LNG importers: Fakhrul
BNP has extended moral support to Left Democratic Alliance’s hartal, protesting the gas price hike.
“We think the hartal called by left-leaning parties is logical. That’s why we are extending our moral support to their hartal called for July 7,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told journalists.
The decision came after the party’s standing committee members held a meeting yesterday at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Fakhrul said, “We think the gas price hike is completely illogical. It will have an adverse impact on the overall economy. Prices of daily essentials will increase and production cost will rise.”
Criticising the government for increasing gas price, Fakhrul said the government has raised the gas tariff unfairly only to facilitate those ruling party leaders and businessmen who import liquefied natural gas (LNG).
“The only aim behind the gas price hike is to create a scope for people who import LNG to make quick money,” he said.
When asked whether they will wage protests, Fakhrul said, “We have already observed a programme on July 1. Now, we are extending our support to the programme of left-leaning parties. We will consider our programmes later.”
Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) has called a half-day hartal across the country for tomorrow to protest the gas tariff hike.
LDA, a coalition of eight left-leaning political parties, includes Communist Party of Bangladesh, Socialist Party of Bangladesh, Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, Ganasamhati Andolan and Ganatantrik Biplobi Party.
According to the new tariff, households using a single burner will pay Tk 925 instead of Tk 750 a month. Those using a double burner will pay Tk 975 instead of Tk 800.
Gonoforum and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal have already extended support to the hartal.
‘KHALEDA A SYMBOL OF DEMOCRACY’
Describing Khaleda Zia as “a symbol of democracy”, Fakhrul yesterday said democracy in the country will be restored when the BNP chairperson will be freed from jail.
“We are working to unite countrymen alongside a legal battle and will wage a strong movement to free Khaleda Zia,” Fakhrul said while speaking at a token hunger strike programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club.
Sammilita Peshajibi Parishad, a pro-BNP body of professionals, arranged the three-hour long token hunger strike from 9am, demanding release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.
Accusing the government of establishing “a reign of plundering”, Fakhrul said “mega projects” are being undertaken for “mega corruption”.
The banking sector has been destroyed with widespread plundering while economy is now on the verge of collapse, he claimed.
He also alleged that the government is destroying the country’s education and health sectors and all democratic institutions one after another, as it has no accountability.
The countrymen have been plunged into a suffocating situation and they want to get out of the prevailing state, he said.
Comments