BNP demands for revoking power price hike

Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the de facto opposition, demanded the withdrawal of power price hike immediately to release the general people from sufferings and sting.
The party has warned the government that it would begin a tougher programme with the mass people to force the government to cancel such decision when people are in deep economic crisis.
“People are already in a great financial crisis. But the price of electricity has been increased again without considering the people,” BNP Vice-Chairman Barkatullah Bulu said on Friday while addressing a human chain organised by Democracy Forum in front of the Jatiya Press Club.
“The government has to revoke the decision of power price hike. If the decision is not cancelled immediately, we will build up a movement with the support of the people against the government,” he said. Recalling BNP’s nationwide protest programme on January 16, the BNP leader said, “The increase of power price is an anti-people decision. We will protest it across the country on January 16.”
“We will not pay electricity bills in the coming days. People will stop paying the electricity bills,” he warned.
The government on Thursday hiked the retail price of electricity by five per cent effective from January. Last time the power price was hiked at retail level in February 2020.
The Democracy Forum held the human chain protesting a court order that confiscated movable and immovable property of BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman in a corruption case.
Criticising such an order, Bulu said the court passed the order at the behest of the government to divert people’s attention to a different direction.
He further said the people no longer want to see the Awami League government in power owing to its ‘misrule’.
Recalling the simultaneous programmes of BNP and other like-minded alliances, Bulu said, “The BNP and other political parties have already started a simultaneous movement. Its aim is to establish a government of people ousting the current one.”
“It is not the movement of the BNP. It is a movement of the people. All people will oust the government through united movement. A new sun will rise in Bangladesh.”
He further said if BNP comes to power, it would form a national government with those who have participated in the anti-government movement.
“This national government will repair the state for the next generation to build up a prosperous independent and sovereign state,” he observed.
Recalling the reports of human rights violation as stated by the European Union, US and United Nations, he said, “The foreign powers are pointing out reports of human rights violation here. They are also saying that here are no voting rights. The right to vote should be given to the people for their survival. The black laws including Digital Security Act have to be revoked.”
The human chain was presided over by its President Khalilur Rahman, while BNP Executive Committee Member Abu Naser Md Rahmat Ullah, Professor Alamgir Hossain and other were present on the occasion.