Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity has demanded the government to immediately repeal its decision of hiking fuel prices to ease the already-existing sufferings of the people created by the price hikes of essentials.
The Samity made the demand through a press release published on Saturday.
The release mentions last year’s fuel price hike by the government, saying that prices of Diesel and Kerosene were hiked by Tk 15 per litre, thus taking their prices to Tk 80 from Tk 65.
Read: Commuters' misery mounts countrywide after fuel price hike
Following the price hike, fares of public transport including buses and launches were hiked by 27 percent and 35 percent, respectively, which were much higher compared to the increase in fuel prices, the release read.
The release added that due to hikes in fuel prices, costs of transportation will double, further increasing the prices of essentials. Industrial production will be hampered, pressure on imports will be created. While rising imports will affect the country’s economy, it’ll increase unemployment too.
Prices of fuel in the international market are showing a downward trend. Raising fuel prices instead of lowering them to appease the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is unacceptable and anti-people. We urge the government to revert fuel prices to their previous rates immediately, the release concluded.