Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has blamed the government for the recent incidents of communal violence in different parts of the country.
“This government has failed to maintain communal harmony in the country. It has also failed to reduce the prices of essential commodities.
“No measures were taken to protect the puja mandapas with the members of the law enforcement agencies,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
The senior BNP leader was attending a human chain programme organized by the party protesting the soaring prices of essential products such as rice, flour, oil, vegetables, etc. in front of Dhaka’s National Press Club on Saturday.
Demanding an election under a caretaker government, he said, “People want their rights back. They want to vote. Give us a free and fair election under a neutral caretaker government.”
He urged the government to step down from power for failing to control the rising food prices.
“The government had said that they would provide rice at Tk10/kg. But the price of a kg of rice now stands at Tk70. The price of one litre bottled soybean oil has increased by Tk7 in just one week.
“Prices of sugar, salt has and vegetables have shot up. Necessary steps must be taken to lower the prices,” he added.
The BNP general secretary demanded immediate release and proper treatment of former prime minister and party chief Khaleda Zia who is suffering from chronic diseases and other complications.
Fakhrul said that all the cases filed against BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman have to be withdrawn to facilitate his safe return to the country.
