Hike in fuel price a sign of misrule: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said the hike in fuel price is the sign of misrule of the current government.

"The price of electricity has jumped three to four times in a year. If you go to a kitchen market you will find it difficult to buy any commodity as the price of everything has gone up," he said.

Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader also said increasing fuel prices on the international market is the reason the government showed behind its decision of raising the prices of diesel and kerosene.

Fakhrul said the prices of diesel and kerosene had increased by Tk 15 overnight. He said the LPG price has also been increased while the power tariffs have been repeatedly hiked in a year.

"How irresponsible and isolated from people the current government is as it has taken such an inhumane decision (of increasing fuel prices). When the prices of diesel and kerosene were hiked in Bangladesh, neighbouring India has reduced their prices by Tk 5," he said.

"Why did you raise the price of fuel when its price went down on the international market? You didn't reduce the fuel price at that time as you stole that money. You're again trying to make your pockets heavier by cutting the pockets of our people," the BNP leader said.

BNP's Dhaka south and north city units jointly organised the programme at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh, marking the second death anniversary of undivided Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

Referring to the transport strike in protest against the fuel price hike, the BNP leader said the bus fares and truck charges will now be enhanced by the transport owners which will ultimately push up the prices of all essential commodities like rice, pulses and sugar, in the kitchen market.

"The government is destroying the economy of Bangladesh in a planned way. It has already destroyed the politics of Bangladesh and the future of people," he observed.

Fakhrul said though BNP has not been there in the Union Parishad polls, around 87 people have so far died due to violence unleashed by the ruling party leaders and activists. "The election system has been completely destroyed."

On Wednesday, the government raised the prices of diesel and kerosene at the retail level. Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) said the petroleum prices have been readjusted against the backdrop of the price hike of petroleum on the international market.

Meanwhile, the price of private operators' liquified petroleum gas (LPG) was also increased to Tk 1,313 per 12-kg container from Tk 1,259 with effect from Thursday at the retail level.