Draconian laws being enacted to hush up market syndication: BNP

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said on Thursday that the government was enacting draconian laws one after another so that none could speak out against market syndicates.
"Basically the government is enacting draconian laws one by one so that none could raise voice against market syndicates," BNP's senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the comments at a press briefing at the party's Nayapaltan central office in the capital.
Mr Rizvi called upon all to build mass resistance against the government for 'its failure' to contain price hike and other irregularities.
He also expressed concern over the comment made by Law Minister Anisul Huq recently on preventing spreading of false news and misinformation by enacting a new law.
The Law Minister said that the government would place a bill in parliament for enacting a law to stop spreading of false news and misinformation that creates confusion in public mind.
Mr Rizvi said that by enacting new law the government would intensify its surveillance on the citizens and also the whole nation.
"Many people have suffered jail term and faced cases just for their struggle to ensure freedom of expression and freedom of speech," he said.
He also said that by enacting new law the government would intensify its level of oppression and suppression on the opponents.
"None could speak or criticise against the government. The government has tarnished the country's electoral system as it (government) doesn't like to give basic rights to the people. They (government) consider people as 'simple' that could be ignored," he maintained.
Mr Rizvi criticised the government for increasing power tariff again.
He said that the government had enacted a law that allows it to increase power tariff upon their (government) will by curtailing the power of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission.
He further said that through this law the government would cut public pocket.
"The government has increased power tariff just to ensure profits of the syndicates," he said adding that people having clout with the government are involved with power sector business.

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