Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has said that despite the price hike of essentials around the world, Bangladesh is still in a better position compared to many others.

Quader, also Awami League general secretary, made the remark today during a briefing on current issues at the ministry's meeting room in the Secretariat.

“This rise in prices is not just limited to Bangladesh; it is happening all over the world, including in countries like France and Germany,” he said.

He also said that the government is making sincere efforts to address this problem, and commodity prices have already gone down, with further decease expected.

Quader also mentioned that irregularities and price manipulation are not new issues in Bangladesh and they happen during Ramadan. “But the government is taking action against such practices,” he said.

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Regarding criticism that initiatives against syndicates have not yielded result yet, the minister said that if results were not achieved, Bangladesh would not be considered a success by others. He pointed out that despite challenges, Bangladesh has made significant progress and has received praise from world leaders such as the presidents of US, China and Russia.

On another note, Quader said it is not appropriate to evaluate the success or failure of a ministry solely based on road accidents.

When asked about his ability to improve road safety, he responded by drawing attention to the high number of accidents and fatalities that occur in countries such as India and Saudi Arabia.

“Yesterday over 20 people died in a road accident in Saudi Arabia. What are your thoughts on this tragic incident? A blown tyre can cause accidents and lead to such devastating outcome,” he said.

Quader emphasized that accidents are a common occurrence worldwide and cannot overshadow the numerous successful projects implemented during the government's tenure.

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He also suggested that incidents of high success of the government may be targeted by critics. Quader went on to discuss the revision of the RPO, final approval of which is pending.