Demos in district towns against gas price hike Tuesday: BNP

Dhaka, July 01- The major opposition BNP will stage demonstrations at district towns and city corporations across the country on Tuesday protesting the government decision to increase gas prices.
In the capital city of Dhaka, the party will either stage demonstrations or bring out processions at thana level.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi yesterday announced the programme at a press conference at party central office at Naya Paltan.
The BNP will observe the protest programme in each district and city protesting what he said the anti-people decision of increasing prices of gas.
BNP, the arch rival of the ruling Awami League, came up with the programme of street agitation a day after the government decided increasing gas prices.
Meanwhile, speaking at a human chain programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir strongly criticized the government for the decision of increasing gas prices.
“The government falls the people to further crises through its decision of increasing gas prices…The decision was taken only for the interests of the LNG businessmen,” he alleged.
He accused the government of creating a serious crisis in political, economic and social lives one after another.
Association of Engineers Bangladesh (AEB), a pro-BNP organization, organized the human chain demanding unconditional release of party chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Presided over by Engineer Harun-or-Rashid, the function was addressed, among others, by BNP vice chairmen Dr AZM Zahid Hossain and Shawkat Mahmud.
Speaking at the press conference, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said that the present government increased gas prices six times in last 10 years.
The government yesterday increased gas prices on an average to 32.8 per cent of the existing prices effect with this month (July). A single burner residential customer will have to pay monthly Tk 950 which was Tk 750 and double burner customers will have to pay Tk 975 which was Tk 800 earlier.
BNP vice chairman Ahmed Azam Khan, joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Monir Hossain and Firozuzzaman, among others, were present at the press conference. – Staff Reporter