Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Friday claimed that this year's Eid journey has been free of traffic jams and public sufferings. He said this to reporters while visiting the overpass constructed at the capital's airport this morning. Quader said that instructions have been given to the officials concerned  to make the return Eid trip smooth and comfortable. Roads and Highways Department Secretary ABM Amin Ullah Noori, Bridges Department Secretary Manjur Hossain and senior officers were present at the time. Read more: AL-backed syndicates make Eid holidaymakers suffer with extortion, harassment: Rizvi Quader said that this year there is no suffering of travellors on bus, train, launch during the Eid journey.  The government has opened the Padma Bridge to motorbikes for the benefit of young people.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said that she fully understands the sufferings of the people due to the recent price hike of fuel oil and electricity rationing.  “We can realise the sufferings of the people,” she said while speaking at the meeting with organising secretaries of Awami League from eight divisions at her official residence Ganabhaban. Hasina, chief of the governing Awami League, assured that her government will surely cut down the fuel oil price when it will come down in the international market. “We will adjust the prices of fuel oil whenever it comes down in the world market. I have given that directive too,” she said. Referring to ongoing power crisis and the countrywide load-shedding, she said that people have to endure this pain for some more days. “When the coal-fired electricity stations go into production, our problems with power will fade away,” she said. The prime minister admitted that the government has given the opposition parties to go for movement against it. “Our opposition is getting a scope to wage movement. Let them do that. I also want that,” she said. In this connection, she said that today she has directed relevant authorities to allow the opposition to continue their agitation and not to arrest anyone.  “If they want to besiege the Prime Minister office,  let them do that,” she said. She also said that people  know very well that her government has tried with utmost sincerity to tackle the fuel oil price and electricity production.  “Opposition will try to utilise this , but if they do anything excessive people will ultimately suffer more for that. They have to realise that,” she said. She said she has doubts about the success of the opposition protest movement that surely  will harm the country.  “But we will be able to handle that, I have that belief," she stated. PM Hasina blamed Ukraine-Russia war, the subsequent sanctions and counter-sanctions for the current economic problems of the country that hit when it was turning around from the grip of coronavirus pandemic impact quite well. Also read: PM Hasina assassination attempt: Fugitive death row convict held in city “The USA and Russia are the most gainers from the sanctions and counter-sanctions as the prices of US and Russian currencies have increased,” she said. She also said that middle and lower- middle class people around the wolrd are the worst suffers of the war, sanctions and counter-sanctions. The premier came down heavily on a section of people who increased the prices of everything taking the advantage of war and fuel price hike. “There is a section of businesspeople who hike the prices illogically. There is no reason for raising the prices of everything. But they are increasing the prices," she regretted. She urged the people to increase production and produce whatever they can. “ We are facing problems in those items which are dependent on import.” Recalling the August 15 bloodshed, she said she wonders why did they kill my father, mother and brothers. “What was their fault," she asked. She said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman  tried to establish a pro-people administration and decentralise the power to the grassroots of people. “It seems that whoever wants to play a role in developing people's life in this country must have to face a disaster. This is reality," she said. She said that this is very much unfortunate that whenever people of the country started to live a better life the vested quarter started to hatch conspiracy. “There is a section of people who never wants the welfare of the people. When the independence becomes meaningful, good results of the independence reach to the people, we  see there is an effort always to put hurdle on that,” she said. She put emphasis on strengthening the party and its activities, and to remain beside the people as it always did in the past. Hasina said Awami League always believes in democracy, principle and  power of the people. She said that military rulers Ziaur Rahman, HM Ershad and ex-PM Khaleda Zia of BNP patronised and awarded the killers of Bangabandhu and granted them immunity from any court trial.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday denounced any kind of war saying it always causes sufferings to the mass people. She said this while visiting Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande called on her at her official residence Ganobhaban. PM's press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the reporters after the call on. The PM was quoted as saying that even the US government is sending messages to American people asking them to save electricity and energy. "Due to the war all, including the USA, are facing sufferings," she said referring the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.  Hasina recalled the crucial role of Indian government, armed forces and the people of India during the 1971 Liberation War Bengalis fought under the leadership of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She expressed gratefulness to Indian armed forces who laid down their lives and who got wounded in the battlefield in 1971 in Bangladesh. Referring the current flood situation in Bangladesh the prime minister said it was caused by recent flash flood in Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal. Read: PM: Create integrated education facilities for special children She mentioned that Bangladesh stands ready to work together with India to overcome any sort of natural disaster.  Hasina described the relation between Bangladesh and India as wonderful. She said that main aim of the countries in South Asia should be to end poverty and work together to alleviate the condition of the people. The Indian Army chief talked about the ongoing military cooperation between the two countries. He said that tomorrow he would visit Ramu Cantonment in Cox's Bazar. He said he was deeply moved during his visit to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum.  "This museum remains as a symbol of sacrifice and will inspire the new generation to love their country," he said. Gen. Pande said that regular top level visit of the two countries' armed forces officials will strengthen their relation. Referring to the Victory Day celebration in India, Gen. Pande said that representatives from Bangladesh also joined the events which play significant role in consolidating friendly relations between Bangladesh and India He also praised the ‘Proyash’ – a specialised institute run by Bangladesh Army which provides services for holistic development of the children with special educational needs through multidimensional programmes. PM's Principal Secretary Ahmad Kaikaus was present at the meeting.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Qudaer on Monday alleged that though common people are going through serious hardships due to the soaring prices of all essentials, there is no one to look into their sufferings. “The people of the country are not having a good time. Ordinary people have become worried due to the growing commodity prices. They’re struggling to make ends meet due to the price hike,” he said. GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, made the remarks, while exchanging views with the union leaders of the private employees working in government colleges and madrasas at the Jatiya Party chairman's Banani office. READ: UP polls creating panic instead of festivity: GM Quader He said there has been anarchy in every sector as the government has irrationally raised the fuel prices. “Transportation costs have risen due to hikes in diesel and kerosene prices. This is casting an adverse effect on every sector,” the Jatiya Party chief observed. He said the prices of all essential items and raw materials are skyrocketing gradually because of lack of monitoring by the government. “It seems there’s no one to see the sufferings of ordinary people.” GM Quader urged the government to take effective steps to check the price hike of essentials and ease the public sufferings. READ: Raising fuel price, transport fare an anti-people move: GM Quader The Jatiya Party Chairman also called upon the government to accept the justified demands of private employees working in government colleges and madrasas. Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu, Presidium Member Mir Abdus Sabur Asud, Joint Secretary General Jasim Uddin Bhuiyan, Organising Secretary Joynal Abedin and Office Secretary MA Razzak Khan were, among others, present at the programme.

BNP standing committee has demanded the government lower the prices of diesel, kerosene and LPG considering public sufferings. At a virtual meeting on Monday night, the BNP policymaking body also urged the government to take effective steps promptly to lower the prices of daily essentials, including rice, pulses, edible oil and salt. The meeting elaborately discussed the overall impact of the LPG and diesel and kerosene price hike on the lives of the people as a whole and on the economy, said a press release signed by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday. Read: Transport fare, fuel price hike a “trick to loot people”: BNP “The meeting thinks, the number of the poor will increase and public sufferings will deepen further due to the price hike of fuel oil and LPG as the incomes of many have declined while many others lost their jobs during the corona period,” Fakhrul said. He said the BNP policymakers decided that BNP and its associate bodies will observe programmes in protest against the fuel price. Fakhrul said the meeting expressed deep concern over the findings of a survey that the number of the new poor in the country stands at around 3.24 crore. A survey jointly conducted by Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) and Brac Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) revealed that 79 lakh people were added to the previous 2.45 crore new poor following the second wave of the coronavirus. Fakhrul said their standing committee thinks such a situation has been created in the country due to indifference, incompetence and wrong policies of the government. “Unplanned restrictions to contain corona have contributed to raising the number of poor. The situation is further compounded for not announcing financial incentives for low-income people and the informal sector, depriving due wages of workers in the mills and factories and not providing marginalised people with food and financial assistance,” the BNP policymakers observed. The BNP standing committee meeting also voiced concern over the recent killing of two Bangladeshis by Indian Border Security force (BSF) members along Dona border in Sylhet’s Kanaighat upazila. The meeting deplored that the killing of Bangladeshi nationals along the border by BSF troops has become a regular affair. “This is undoubtedly an extreme violation of human rights. Such heinous killings don’t take place on a regular basis along any other border of the world,” Fakhrul said. Read:People facing “starving-like situation”: BNP He said their meeting thinks BSF keeps on killing Bangladeshis due to the government's ‘knee-jerk’ foreign policy. “The meeting strongly condemned and protested the killings and demanded immediate effective steps by the authorities concerned of India and Bangladesh to stop such inhumane killings.” BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Selima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku joined the virtual meeting chaired by party acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain on Sunday alleged that no step is being taken to alleviate public sufferings and control the price hike of daily essentials since an “unelected” government has been in power. In a statement, he also alleged that the government has no control over the market. “Rather it has an entente with an evil syndicate.” Read: From Glasgow, Hamid tries to justify fuel price hike in Facebook status Protesting the government’s decision to hike the fuel price, Dr Kamal said transport fares and transposition costs will rise due to the fresh hike in diesel and kerosene prices. “It’ll have an impact on the market and people will suffer as the prices of the daily essentials keep soaring.” He demanded the withdrawal of the increased prices of diesel and kerosene. The Gonoforum chief also urged the government to take effective measures to control the soaring prices of daily essentials. He voiced deep concern that people went through immense sufferings due to transport and launch strike in protest against the fuel price hike. “The government is not taking any step to assuage the sufferings of people and protect them from the increased prices of commodities in the market since it is an unelected regime." On Wednesday, the government raised the prices of diesel and kerosene at the retail level. Read: Fuel price hike a fresh blow to Covid-hit economy: Experts Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) said the petroleum prices have been readjusted against the backdrop of the price hike of petroleum on the international market. Later, the Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van, Tank Lorry and Prime Movers Owners and Workers Coordination Council, and bus owners called an indefinite nationwide strike from Friday in protest against the fuel price hike.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday alleged that the Awami League government is trying to make enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings part of ‘national culture’.

Incessant monsoon showers  have inevitably led to large parts of the capital getting inundated, putting heavy burden of sufferings and chaos on city life.

After a recession for a few days, all the rivers in Kurigram district started flowing beyond the danger signal on Sunday morning.

Describing the proposed national budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year as an "imaginary, blunt and unimplementable" one, BNP on Friday said it will only inflict further sufferings on people at this time of coronavirus pandemic.