‘Govt is gripped by the ghost of majority’—Golam Porwar

Jamaat protests fuel price hike in DhakaMM Rahmatullah: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami staged a protest rally and procession in Dhaka on Monday, demanding immediate withdrawal of the government’s decision to raise the prices of four major petroleum products by Tk 20 per litre.The Dhaka South city unit of Jamaat organised the rally at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the afternoon. The programme was followed by a procession that moved through the capital and ended at Bijoynagar intersection. Jamaat’s central and city-level leaders addressed the rally.Speaking as the chief guest, Jamaat Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Porwar alleged that the government had been “gripped by the ghost of majority”. He accused the government of taking what he described as “anti-people” decisions on the strength of its parliamentary majority.Porwar said the fuel price increase would directly affect transport, agriculture, industry and the prices of essential commodities. He also claimed that fuel prices had been raised repeatedly since the government assumed office.The government, however, has said the latest adjustment was made against the backdrop of higher international petroleum prices and increased freight costs. It has also cited mounting losses of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) and the risk of fuel smuggling as reasons for the decision.Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan, MP, criticised the decision to raise fuel prices at a time when people were already facing economic pressure. He alleged that the government had placed an additional burden on consumers by increasing the prices overnight.He demanded immediate withdrawal of the increased fuel prices.Jamaat’s Central Executive Council member Mobarak Hossain said fuel was directly or indirectly connected with almost every sector of the economy. According to him, higher fuel prices would raise transport and production costs and could eventually affect market prices.The government’s new rates came into effect on Monday. Diesel has increased from Tk 115 to Tk 135 per litre, kerosene from Tk 135 to Tk 155, octane from Tk 145 to Tk 165 and petrol from Tk 140 to Tk 160.The price increase has already triggered concern among businesses and consumers, with business leaders warning that higher energy and transportation costs could add to inflationary pressure.Speaking at the rally, Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice-President and candidate for mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation Sadik Kayem called for measures to address shortages of fuel, gas and electricity.He also demanded elections to all local government bodies and the transfer of responsibilities to elected representatives.Sadik said functioning local government institutions with elected representatives were necessary to address public grievances and reduce people’s difficulties.Presiding over the rally, Jamaat Dhaka South city unit Ameer and Central Executive Council member Nurul Islam Bulbul, MP, warned that the fuel price increase could further raise the prices of essential commodities.While the government has cited developments in the international oil market as a major factor behind the increase, Bulbul alleged that syndication, corruption and mismanagement in the country’s energy sector were also major problems.He called for the decision to increase fuel prices to be withdrawn.The latest increase has generated concerns about its possible impact across the economy. Higher fuel costs can raise expenses for transport operators, farmers, manufacturers and businesses, potentially feeding into the prices of goods and services. Business representatives have already warned that the increase could place additional pressure on industries and export-oriented businesses.The Jamaat rally is part of a broader series of opposition protests against rising fuel and living costs. The Daily Star reported that Jamaat and several other political parties also held or announced protest programmes in Dhaka on Monday demanding withdrawal of the price increase.The procession following Monday’s rally started from the Baitul Mukarram north gate and ended at Bijoynagar intersection, with Jamaat’s central and Dhaka city leaders leading the march.