Would demand resignation if fuel price increased in Hasina’s time, should not demand now: Dr Zahed

Prime Minister’s Information Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman has called for looking at the matter with the eyes of sympathy and empathy of the people after increasing the price of oil. He said, ‘If the price of fuel increased in the time of Sheikh Hasina we would demand not only protest but the resignation of Hasina. Now that should not be demanded. Because this government is an elected government, this is our government.’

He spoke at the weekly press conference on the progress of various works of the government at the Secretariat at noon on Tuesday (September 22). The government increased the prices of diesel, octane, petrol and kerosene by Tk 20 per litre each on Sunday night. The new prices became effective from Monday.

In reply to such a question of a journalist whether the government is becoming unpopular by increasing the price of oil he said, ‘We will ask for this much kindness from the people. The people are suffering, they will suffer. When we were also talking about oil earlier—where is this not happening?’

He said, ‘If the price of fuel increased in the time of Sheikh Hasina we would demand not only protest but her resignation. Now that should not be demanded. Whenever such a crisis would occur in the time of Hasina the price of onion would become Tk 300, the price would increase so much we would say “you go”. Because we did not own that government. That was not a legitimate government. We would demand resignation itself. We were not ready to listen to any logic. This government is an elected government, this is our government.’

Acknowledging the criticism he said, ‘I completely agree that there will be criticism of this. Whether this can be done a little better, whether this can be done a little less. These discussions will come from everyone’s perspective.’

The Information Adviser of the Prime Minister said, ‘When we also talked about oil earlier, this is not happening only in our country. In America also Donald Trump has repeatedly tried to keep the price of oil under control. Because there remains the risk of its influence falling on the midterm election. There is no midterm election in our country, however there is the local government election. There is no reason for the government to deliberately make the people dissatisfied. Because this government will not go on the path of making someone win by taking money by packaging in the local government election like the previous government. An election will be held, therefore there is risk here. I am not saying that there is no such risk.’

The Information Adviser of the Prime Minister mentioned that there is no condition or pressure of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to increase the price of fuel oil. He said the general policy of the IMF is that no government should give excessive subsidy. However it is not that we are following all their rules in all cases. There is also not the full consent of the IMF in the case of our various card projects. But we are taking these initiatives by considering the welfare of the people.