Govt's lack of skills, coordination behind price boom, says AL

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The Awami League (AL) Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam Sunday said a lack of skills and coordination from the caretaker government might have triggered the price boom, report bdnews24.com and UNB.
"The government should be able to rein in the ever-increasing prices of the essential commodities," he said at a press conference at the party's Dhanmondi office.
The press conference followed a meeting of the AL presidium members and organising secretaries, presided over by AL Acting President Zillur Rahman.
"One may raise a critical question as to whether or not the government is functioning effectively," he said.
Ashraful said he subscribed to Regulatory Reforms Commission Chairman Akbar Ali Khan's remark that a "silent famine" was ravaging the country. "Dr Khan is an expert and he said it rightly," said Ashraful.
He also accused the government of adopting dillydallying tactics over the treatment of ailing party president Sheikh Hasina and demanded expediting her treatment process.
He complained that a letter from the party, sent to the Chief Adviser's Office requesting assistance in sending Hasina abroad for medical treatment, was received by a messenger.
"Though there are scores of officials posted at the Chief Adviser's Office, you won't find anyone even willing to receive a phone call when the boss is overseas. In the absence of the Chief Adviser, the officials are taking it easy and relaxing. One might say this government is not serious about governing the country," said Ashraful.
The AL leader said the meeting endorsed the opinion of the doctors that advised sending Hasina abroad for treatment. He reiterated that the administration should send her to the US on humanitarian grounds.
"However, there is no evidence that the government is not taking adequate measures in this regard. The machinery of the government is a huge affair, it cannot take decisions in minutes like a family can. We have to understand the realities."
"The medical panel and her personal physicians have to treat her in a coordinated way. I don't see any scope for politics here," he said.