Speakers at a seminar on Monday accused the Awami League government of deliberately pursuing an import-dependent energy policy only to plunder money. “They’ve transformed the energy into a political commodity from a market commodity to use it as a tool to make money for a certain section of businessmen,” said Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, a member of the BNP standing Committee. The BNP organised the seminar titled “Corruption is the Sources of Energy Crisis” at the Jatiya Press Club with party secretary general Mirza FAkhrul Islamj Alamgir in the chair. BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, who was the power and energy minister during Khaleda Zia’s government in 1991, presented the keynote paper at the seminar. Also read: PM's Energy Adviser hopeful of overcoming power, energy crisis In the keynote paper, Mosharraf alleged that despite Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation’s huge fund deposited with banks, the government raised the price of petroleum fuel by 51 percent without any logical reason. He claimed that available statistics reveal the BPC has Tk 32,000 crore deposits with different banks while its three subsidiary companies have another Tk 13,000 crore deposits. “Many energy experts believe that the government could have continued the petroleum supply for next 21 months without raising prices with such deposited funds, “ the BNP leader said adding, the price was increased only to plunder public money. He said the fuel price hike had directly impacted all the sectors of the economy pushing up prices of all commodities. “This is absolutely unacceptable and a deception with people.” Stating that the Awami League government is not an elected one, Mosharrf said, “Had they been elected, they would have a responsibility to people and would have tried to resolve the problem without raising the fuel prices”. “But the government has been driven by a business-monger mentality which is a major reason to be worried,” he said adding, the Awami League government has to be removed through a mass movement. Also read: Patience can help overcome crisis in energy sector: Nasrul The seminar was also addressed by BNP standing committee members Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, former editor of New Nation Mostafa Kamal Majumder, professional body leader Engineer Rezaul Islam, environment expert Zakir Hossain, Jatiya Press Club Secretary Elias Khan and Dhaka Union of Journalist (DUJ) president Quader Gani Chowdhury.  Dr Moyeen Khan said there is no consistency with the claims of the government and the ground reality of the economy. “They’re snatching the pockets of the poor while allowing the rich to siphon off money abroad,”  he said. Nazrul Islam Khan said the prices of kerosene and diesel are now highest in Bangladesh compared to many other countries like Pakistan, India and Bhutan. Mostafa Kamal Majumder observed that the number of poor people has become double in the country while the number of rich has also increased.  “This proves the sound of their development is empty.” Zakir Hossain said the government’s initiative to set up a coal-fired power plant near the Sundarbans has put the country’s environment and economy in danger. He said the country should pursue a policy to promote renewable energy as 80 percent of the electricity could be generated from renewable sources. “If the country does not depend on its own sources to generate 80 percent of electricity, it will jeopardise the country’s energy security.”