NCP mass protest at Shahbagh: syndicates blamed for price hikes, LPG not available at fixed price

National Citizen Party (NCP) senior joint convener Nasiruddin Patwary has alleged that syndicates of big business groups are behind the rise in prices of essential commodities. He made the allegation at a mass protest rally jointly organised by NCP Dhaka Metropolitan North and South at Shahbagh in the capital on Friday afternoon.

Patwary said that over the past week they have visited various areas of the capital to learn about people's problems. During that time, problems including the gas crisis, excessive LPG cylinder prices, traffic congestion, snatching, waste dumps and waterlogging came up.

He alleged that they have learned that LPG cylinders officially priced at 1,837 taka are being sold in places for 2,500 to 3,500 taka. He also mentioned that because of the gas crisis, many people are having to cook with firewood.

At the rally, NCP convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam said NCP leaders have over the past week gone to various areas of Dhaka city, spoken with ordinary people and heard their problems. There is no gas in people's homes; alongside price hikes, terrorism, extortion and robbery have made life unbearable for shopkeepers, small traders and ordinary people, he commented.

Nahid Islam also said that alongside the power and gas crises, various institutions of the country are being partisanised. The law and order situation has deteriorated, and he alleged that the current government has completely failed to provide people's security.

NCP senior joint member secretary Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan said at the rally that the country is going through a terrible crisis. Ordinary people are suffering from price hikes, electricity price increases, power and gas crises and excessive LPG prices. In his words, an 1,800-taka gas cylinder has to be bought for 2,500 taka.

The formalities of the mass protest rally began after 4pm on Friday with recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by the national anthem. The programme was organised by NCP's Dhaka Metropolitan North and South units.

NCP Dhaka Metropolitan South convener Ishak Sarkar chaired the rally. Jatiya Juboshakti president Advocate Tariqul Islam, NCP member secretary Akhtar Hossain, senior joint convener Hasnat Abdullah and leaders at central and metropolitan levels were present. Party leaders and activists at various levels, including Mahmuda Mitu, also joined the rally.

The NCP's four-point demands raised from the rally include the resignation of the home minister and the energy minister for failure. The second demand says the one-party constitution amendment committee must be abolished and a constitution reform council formed on the basis of the people's verdict in a referendum.