Dhaka, Nev 22 – BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Friday alleged the current price hike of essential items like onion and salt as the reflection of Awami economy where the ruling party-backed businesspeople are controlling markets.“The government has politicised everything and a quarter of Awami business people is now taking its advantage. There’s no free market economy now in Bangladesh as it is now turned into an Awami economy,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader further said, “The prices of all essentials, including that onion and salt have gone out of control as a reflection of Awami economy. As you (govt) politicsed every institution, your own people are now controlling the markets. Who will control them? If you can’t control them, how do you control the prices of commodities? ”
Bangladesh Jatiya Dal arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 55th birthday of BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.
Khosru, a BNP standing committee member and a former commerce minister, said the buying capacity of the country’s people decreased over the last 10 years due to fall of their real income. “The soaring prices of commodities have affected the real income of people, mainly the lower income and poor ones, further.”
He said though people are going to serious sufferings due to unusual prices hike of essential items, they cannot raise their voice out of fear as the government is controlling the country by creating an awful situation.
The BNP leader said the ruling party leaders are ‘plundering’ public money from every sector and mega projects as the government has no control on them.
He alleged that the government has kept their party Chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail unfairly in ‘fabricated’ cases while 26 lakh BNP leaders and activists have been implicated in false cases.
Khosru also said the government wants to cling to power by resorting to repressive acts and killing, and false cases as it fears a fair and credible election.
He hailed that the leadership of Tarique Rahman, saying he strengthen the party following the democratic process. – UNB
