Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Acting Secretary General Maulana ATM Masum has issued the following statement on 6th August 2022 protesting and condemning the government’s decision of increasing the price of diesel, kerosene, petrol, and octane abnormally and recklessly.

Without considering the sufferings of the people, the government in a midnight announcement has increased diesel and kerosene prices by 42.5% and petrol and octane by 51%. The prices of diesel and kerosene were raised by 42.5 per cent to Tk 114 per litre from Tk 80, while the price of petrol was raised by 51.16 per cent to Tk 130 a litre from Tk 86.

The price of octane was raised by 51.68 per cent to Tk 135 per litre from Tk 89. Economists said that the price hike of fuel oils would put adverse effects on the lives and livelihoods of the people at a time when they were facing the pressure of inflation. Everything including necessary commodities, irrgation, agro-based products and transport sector will face its negative impact. Already mass transport has been declared in some areas as such the locals of those people have been suffering immensely. Already the countrymen are in deep crisis. Under the circumstances, such an excessive fuel price hike will be a major blow to the nation. We are condemning such unjust and illogical decisions of the government.

The entire Sylhet division and the northern region of the country have been damaged badly by the recent floods. Due to unemployment and other shutdown efforts, people are leading miserable lives. People are struggling to manage their daily food. In such a situation, this price hike decision is totally illogical and it goes against the public interest.
We are urging the government to repeal their irrational decision of increasing the price of diesel, kerosene, petrol, and octane excessively.