BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday alleged that the government will not be able to rein in the skyrocketing prices of daily essentials as the ruling party leaders are involved with the business syndicates that manipulate the market. “The price of per kg rice is now Tk70 while that of per litre soybean oil is Tk 200…the price of no item is now under control.  We can’t afford the food we used to normally buy previously,” he said. Read: Silent ‘famine’ stalks country: BNP Speaking at a rally, he also said most people now cannot give their children the necessary amount of nutritious food items like meat, fish eggs as in the past due to an unusual price hike of all commodities. “They (govt) won’t be able to lower the prices of essentials as they’re benefited from it. Their leaders have created syndicates and get a share from them,” he said. Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting the soaring prices of daily essentials and the utility services. Fakhrul alleged that Awami League has set up traps all around in a planned way to plunder the resources of the country and siphon off their ill-gotten money abroad. “There’s now turmoil over their laundered money. The Prime Minister went to the UAE. We don’t know whether it happened coincidently or not as her former brother-in-law was arrested for siphoning off Tk2, 000 crores abroad,” the BNP leader said. Earlier, the US imposed sanctions on RAB and its current and former top officials and the assets of these people in the USA will be confiscated. “Their children and relatives won’t be allowed to go to the USA.  Even, they won’t get banking service…people are saying more sanctions are coming.” Earlier on Tuesday, police arrested former minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain’s brother Khandaker Mohtesam Hossain Babar in a case filed against him for reportedly laundering Tk 2,000 crore. Fakhrul said Awami League is responsible for the corruption, plundering and market manipulation as this party ‘usurped’ power through staging a ‘farce’ in the name of election at midnight. “This government has made the lives of our people miserable. We must overcome this situation. We must stop our mothers and sisters from running after the TCB trucks. We must stand beside the families of those of our brothers who had been made disappeared,” he said. Read:Corruption only reason behind price hike: BNP Narrating the ordeals of the families of the victims of enforced disappearance, the BNP leader said their party leaders had disappeared as they raised their voices for establishing democracy and people’s rights. “No one can now say anything against the government as the Digital Security Act has been enacted. One will get arrested if even says anything indirectly against the current regime,” he observed. Fakhrul said a government of people must be established in the country ousting the current regime through a united movement. “We’ve to force this regime to quit shouldering the responsibility for its failures, and hand over power to a neutral government for holding a credible election.” “Lowering the prices of rice, pulses and oil won’t be enough. We must be allowed to live in our own way, we must be allowed to raise our voice and write freely, our right to justice has to be ensured and our law enforcers and administration must be the service providers of people,” he said.