Bangladesh: Political parties, organisations protest at fuel price hike
Bangladesh desk: The Dhaka south city unit of the Communist Party of Bangladesh brings out a procession carrying torches on Topkhana road in Dhaka, on Saturday evening. – Sony Ramany.
Different political parties and organisations on Saturday staged demonstrations in Dhaka protesting against fuel price hike and said that it would increase sufferings of the people across Bangladesh.
They called on the government to withdraw the decision immediately.
The government on Friday revised the prices of all fuel oil at the consumer level, raising the prices of petrol, diesel and octane and kerosene upto 51.68 per cent.
Addressing a rally organised by the Dhaka City unit of ruling Awami League-led alliance partner Workers Party of Bangladesh in front of the National Press Club, WP president Rashed Khan Menon said that the decision of increasing fuel prices would be suicidal for the government.
He said that the government had increased fuel prices to satisfy the condition of International Monitory Fund to get their loan.
Chaired by Dhaka city unit president AbulHossain, the rally was addressed, among others, by central leaders Mostafa Alamgir Ratan, Zakir Hossain Raju and city general secretary Kishore Roy.
The rally was followed by a protest procession that paraded different city roads.
Left Democratic Alliance central leaders at a protest rally at Purana Paltan crossing in Dhaka also opposed the fuel price hike and called on the government to withdraw the decision.
The alliance coordinator and United Communist League general secretary AbdusSatter who chaired the rally said that the people of the country would not accept the unjustified decision of the government.
LDA will hold countrywide protest rally on August 8 protesting against the government decision, he said.
The rally was followed by a protest procession.
Communist Party of Bangladesh also held a protest rally at Purana Paltan crossing where party president Mohammad Shah Alam, general secretary RuhinHossain Prince and other senior leaders spoke.
The rally was followed by a protest procession.
Moreover, Dhaka City south unit of the party held a torch prosession from in front of the Purana Paltan crossing at about 6:00pm.
Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist) also held a rally in front of the National Press Club, where its central leader Manas Nandi called on the government to withdraw the fuel price hike.
Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samiti leaders at a protest rally in front of the National Press Club urged the government to scrap the government decision.
General secretary of the organisation Mohammad Mozammel Haque Chowdhury said that the fuel price hike would increase transport fares.
AL-led alliance partner Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal – Jasad president Hasanul Haq Inu and general secretary ShirinAkhter in a press statement also opposed the fuel price hike.
They called on the government to withdraw the decision immediately.
The party will hold countrywide rallies and procession on August 10, protesting against the fuel price hike.
Jatiya Party chairman GM Quader in a press statement said that such increases of fuel oil prices were unacceptable.
It would increase the transport fares and also prices of the essential commodities and increase sufferings of the common people, he said.
He called on the government to withdraw the decision.
Revolutionary Workers Party general secretary Saiful Huq, Rastra Sanskar Andolan chief coordinator Hasnat Quaiyum in separate press statements also rejected the fuel price hike.
