BNP chairperson's Advisory Council Member Zainul Abedin Farroque on Saturday alleged that the government itself keeps active a business syndicate which is pushing up the prices of essential commodities, as part of their crony capitalist modelFarr

"Alas, Awami League... they speak with arrogance... they have no shame. They talk about controlling hikes in commodity prices, but they also create a syndicate undercover,” he said.

Speaking at a human chain programme, the BNP leader also said the government gets a share of the money the business syndicate makes by increasing the prices of essential items.

“With that money from syndicate, you ((AL leaders) will build houses in Malaysia, Canada, Bangkok and Singapore and do business while the poor people of Bangladesh can’t buy and eat an egg and a kilogram of meat, let alone a kg. But they (govt) show arrogance,” he said.

'Swadhinta Odhikar Andolon’ arranged the human chain programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club demanding the unconditional release of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee Members Mirza Abbas, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and other arrested opposition leaders and workers.

Farroque, also a former opposition chief whip in parliament, said those who cannot prevent the rise in commodity prices and make people sleep peacefully at home, and those who are looting crores of taka in the name of mega projects and in the name of development should be ashamed of themselves.

“You (AL leaders) should keep your mouth shut… you should resign immediately. Because this is not a government of the people and it’s not formed by the votes of people,” he observed.

Farroque asked the ruling party leaders not to make comments belittling the BNP since the ground is also slipping from beneath AL's feet.

"Don't think we’re weak. We’re strong as we’re honest and we have run the government with integrity in the past,” he said.

Farroque said though their party leaders and workers are going through a tough time, they will continue the ongoing movement together with people to ensure the fall of the government.