Jatiya Party Chairman on Saturday urged the government to lower the fuel prices as oil prices fell in the global market.

“Fuel prices have been hiked with an excuse of growing oil prices in the international market,” he said.

The Jatiya Party chief said the unnecessary hike in oil prices has made people's lives miserable. “The oil prices are now falling in the global market. Why are oil prices not brought down here?”

He made the remarks while addressing an extended meeting of Dhaka south city unit of Jatiya Party at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh.

GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said the oil prices were very low in the world market earlier, but the government did not decrease the prices in the country.

Read: Prices soaring for no reason: GM Quader

He also trashed the government’s logic to keep the prices higher to prevent the smuggling of fuel. “It’s never possible to smuggle fuel oil without a tanker or a pipeline.

The Jatiya Party chief said former president HM Ershad during his rule had kept the price of oil at Tk 7 per liter by giving subsidies. “The price of that diesel is now Tk 80.”

He said the people of the country go through sufferings when the fuel prices remain high as it pushes up the prices of all commodities and services.

As the fuel prices rose, GM Quader said the owners and workers of public transport went on a strike without any prior announcement, leaving lakhs of commuters in misery.

He said some government officials concerned raised the fares of transports after a meeting with transport owners. “The fares of gas-run buses have also been hiked through the gas price was not increased.”

Read: UP polls: GM Quader says no change in centre-capturing culture

GM Quader alleged that the transport workers are collecting much higher fares than the fixed ones.

He said power tariffs have also been increased while the prices of daily essential commodities are skyrocketing. “People are struggling to make ends meet. No one seems to have control over the market.”

The Jatiya Party chairman also said the farmers are not getting fair prices of their produce though all the essential items are being sold at exorbitant prices in the market.