Jatri Kalyan Samity urges govt to withdraw fuel price hike
Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity has demanded withdrawing the decision to increase the price of fuel oil in a time when the common people of the country are already in a crisis due to the increase in the price of everyday goods.
Secretary General of the association Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury made the demand in a statement sent to the media on Saturday morning (6 August).
According to the statement, the government increased the price of diesel and kerosene by Tk15 last November and fixed it at Tk80 per liter. After the hike in diesel prices, bus fare was hiked by around 27%, launch fares was hiked by 35%, which is much higher than the increase in oil prices.
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The statement also said that increasing the price of fuel oil by nearly 50% at a time when the common people are already afflicted by a price hike of commodities will cause extreme sufferings.
In Bangladesh, bus and other public transport fares usually increase several times more than the price of oil, said Md Mozammel Haque.
The bus owner-labor leaders monopolise on the fuel price hike and increase the fare many times more than the fuel price hike.
Even if the government fixes the fare it cannot take any effective measure to monitor whether the bus fares are being collected as per the prescribed fare list or not.
Truck, covered van owners increase the freight fare a lot. As the transportation cost will be increased, the cost of daily necessities will also go out of the reach of the common man.
Also, industrial production will be disrupted, resulting in increased dependence on imports. Unable to survive the competition, many small industries will close down.
As a result, the pressure on the national economy will increase due to the increase in import costs. On the other hand, the unemployment problem will become more acute.
It is claimed that despite an increase in the price of fuel oil in the world market, the oil market is currently in a downward trend.
At this time, without monitoring the market, the decision to increase fuel oil prices simply to implement IMF prescriptions is irrational and anti-people, said Md Mozammel Haque.
He demanded to withdraw the increased price immediately and maintain the previous price.
Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity has organised a protest meeting and human chain in front of the National Press Club of the capital on Saturday 3pm to demand the withdrawal of the decision to increase the abnormal price of fuel oil.
