Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (JKS) has demanded withdrawal of the unreasonably increased fuel price and transport strike.
Secretary General of the association Mohammad Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury made the demand in a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity on Saturday protesting the fuel price hike and public harassment in the name of transport strike.
He said that the income of 77 percent of the people of the country has decreased due to various reasons including lockdown amid the global Covid-19 crisis and as a result, 3 crore 24 lakh people have become poor again, according to a survey.
“At a time when the people of the country are distressed due to the increasing commodity prices, a 23 percent rise in fuel prices will increase the overall cost of travel, transportation of food and agricultural production further. It is feared that millions of more people will be at risk of poverty,” he added.
He further mentioned that the government has made exclusive profits for the past six years by selling fuel at high rates when the global market price of fuel was comparatively low.
Sharifuzzaman Sharif, a member of the organisation's advisory council, said that the process by which prices have been raised is illegal.
“The Ministry of Energy has no power to increase fuel prices. Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has the authority to do that. There is a rule of decision-making after the hearing,” he said.
Vice-president of the organization, Tauhidul Haque Liton, Joint Secretary General M Monirul Haque, and Publicity Secretary Anowar Hossain also spoke during the event.
