8 November 2021, Mon, 5:56

After petrol and diesel price hike, public transport fare also increased; Acting Secretary General protests

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Acting Secretary General Maulana ATM Masum has issued the following statement on 8th November, 2021 protesting the decision of increasing public transport fare.

“Government has hiked the price of petrol and diesel from 65 taka to 80 taka per liter; which is a 23 percent hike indeed. Subsequently, the public transport fares have been increased. Passenger buses have increased fare by 27 percent and launch services have increased fare by 35.29 percent. So, against 23% hike of the gasoline price, public transport fares have increased more. It is not acceptable by any means. General masses will suffer for the increasing transport fare. We are condemning such unjustified and illogical decision of the government.

From several reports of the dailies, we came to know that, in last 7 years, state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has gained huge profit from the gasoline sector worth of 43 thousand 137 crore taka. Due to this price hike, BPC will profit another 7 thousand and 650 crore taka. Amid the pandemic situation, when the entire economic structure is struggling, at that time this price hike was totally unnecessary. As the government is not an elected authority, so they have no liabilities and accountabilities to the people and as such they are undertaking one after one controversial decision.

Ruling party people will be benefited for the price hike of gasoline and the public transportation sector. It will pave the way of more looting and corruption nationwide. It will also cause another massive price hike of the essentials. No nation can function in such a way.

We are urging the concerned authorities to cancel the decisions of increasing petrol, diesel and public transport fares immediately.