Deal with Adani will double electricity prices: BNP

Staff Reporter :
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has demanded the formation of a caretaker government and a new Election Commission to conduct the next general election.
“BNP has proposed 10-point demands for the fall of the government. Those are: The government must resign, the parliament must be dissolved. A neutral caretaker government should be formed to give power to that government. A new Election Commission should be formed to hold elections, where the people can vote and form a new government and a new parliament,” he said.
While addressing as the chief guest at the biennial conference of the Sylhet City BNP, Mirza Fakhrul Islam stated the remarks. The event was chaired by Abdul Kaiyum Jalali, the convenor of City BNP
Regarding the election, Fakhrul said, “The Awami League wants to hold elections under the current Constitution. What is in that constitution? It says that the election will be held under the Awami League. But do the people of this country trust Awami League? Do they believe that under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, Awami League can ever conduct a fair and impartial election? The people of this country have seen two vote rigging elections.”
The BNP General Secretary mentioned that the Awami League government has destroyed the country’s economy, saying that it has been destroyed in such a way that it is difficult to recover.
“They have only destroyed the economy for their own interests, for corruption, and for theft. The government always claims that they have made a lot of progress. But progress for whom? This progress is only for a certain group of people,” he said.
“In Dhaka, they are building an underground and elevated metro rail. How much money have they spent on it? The cost has been three to four times the initial estimate. The Padma Bridge project has cost 30 thousand crore taka, more than the initial estimate of 10 thousand crore taka,” he pointed out.
Criticising the current law and order situation in the country, he said, “In broad daylight, muggers steal 11 crore taka and then they are caught. But two crore taka remain unaccounted for. Such crimes have made our mothers and sisters unsafe. They do not feel secure in this country.”
Mirza Fakhrul came down heavily on the purchase of electricity from an Indian Adani Group, saying, “They have chosen the electricity sector to steal money. They are thieves. They have made a deal with an Indian conglomerate named Adani, in which our people will pay nearly 1.5 billion dollars.”
“As a result of this agreement, the price of electricity in Bangladesh will increase to around 16 taka, which is currently being sold at 8 taka. This has also increased three times in two months,” he mentioned.
The BNP Secretary General said, “In each case, they are cutting money from the pockets of the people. Experts say, ‘The price of electricity would not have increased so much if the theft had been stopped’ – that’s the truth.”
Mirza Fakhrul, expressing his demand for punishment for those involved in the explosions in Sitakunda and Dhaka, said, “You have seen there was an explosion in Dhaka. So far, 21 people have died. What is the reason behind it? Experts say it was caused by gas. Which gas? The abandoned line of Titas Gas, where gas had been accumulating, caused a sudden explosion and killed 21 people.
“A few days ago, three people were killed in a building explosion at a Science Laboratory. Before that, eight people were killed in an oxygen factory (plant) in Chattogram. Are these lives worth nothing? We must consider who is being killed and hold them accountable. Otherwise, it will not stop,” he said.