Govt's mismanagement behind price hike of essentials: BNP

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged on Wednesday that the prices of essentials are going up alarmingly due to the government's corruption and mismanagement, reports UNB.
"The management of the consumer goods market is held hostage by a syndicate of some corrupt businessmen who are beneficiaries of the illegitimate government," he said.
Speaking at a press conference, the BNP leader also said the driving forces of the government are in the highest position of the corrupt syndicate that is hiking the prices of the commodities. "Bangladesh is facing such consequences as the protector has turned predator."
"The government's corruption is behind the growing inflation and the current economic hardship. Because of the corruption, the prices of goods are increasing unrestrainedly, hitting hard the middle class, lower middle class and the poor people of the country. Corruption, total failure, and mismanagement of the government have created this situation."
The press conference was arranged to give the party's reaction to the surge in prices of essential commodities following the unusual fuel price hike.
Fakhrul said the government has been spending public money imprudently on unnecessary projects, creating an economic crisis in the country. "Over Tk 300 billion were taken away for the Padma Bridge of Tk 100 billion. Tk2.3 billion is being spent on the construction of per kilometre of the Airport Road. Corruption is the root cause behind it."
He alleged that the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has been indulging in corruption by selling the fuel at high prices while thousands of crores of taka are being siphoned off from the power sector. "The way they indulged in corruption in 1974, the same way they are now doing it."
Fakhrul said his party has extended its support to a half-day hartal to be enforced by Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) across the country on August 25 protesting the price hike of daily essentials, fuel and fertiliser as well as transport fares
As a journalist asked Fakhrul whether BNP would support the left parties' hartal, he said, "We have already said that we always support the movement of any party for realising justified demands."