Acting Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and former lawmaker Professor Mujibur Rahman has issued the following statement on 4th March, 2024 protesting and condemning the recent move of the government as the price of liquefied petroleum gas again by Tk 8 per 12-kg cylinder.

The price of liquefied petroleum gas, mainly used in households for cooking in energy-starved Bangladesh, increased for the eighth month in a row since August 2023 till the current month. This is the third news of energy price hike that shocked consumers, five days after gas price hike and three days after power price hike. Bangladesh’s people are already exhausted dealing with worst inflation in decades. I am protesting this unjust decision of the government.

The government has increased the price of LPG gas by 48%. Gas and electricity are the driving force of civilization. No nation can function with power and gas. As the human being cannot survive without blood circulation, the nation cannot operate without electricity and gas. The impact of this price hike will put negative impact upon the education, agriculture, industries, trade and business. It will cause another price hike of the essentials. The number of hungry people will be increased. It may deteriorate the law-and-order situation of the country. The food courts and small restaurant will terribly suffer as well.

For the sake of the nation, the government should increase subsidy in the power and gas sector. If the nation fails to be self-dependent in generating gas and power, then the expected development is not possible at all. The government has increased by the power and gas price to exploit the people in a bid to stay in power illegally.

If the government can stop bribery, corruption, money laundering and unnecessary spending as well as expel the corrupt personalities, then the necessity of increasing power and gas price will be minimized. But the government has failed to stop irregularities and mismanagement.

The people’s sufferings know no bounds and they are leading a terrible life. Under the circumstance, I am urging the government to withdraw the decision of increasing the LPG gas price.