Fuel Price Hike Is Disrupting Public Life, Say Islamic Party Leaders
Leaders of various Islamic political parties in Bangladesh have expressed deep concern and anger over the government’s decision to raise fuel prices by another Tk 20 per liter. They warned that at a time when the general public is already struggling with an uncontrollable surge in living costs, this broad price hike will severely intensify public suffering. The decision impacts all major fuel types, driving up expenditures across key economic sectors and worsening financial pressures on ordinary citizens. Calling for immediate intervention, the political leaders collectively urged the government to reconsider and withdraw the price increase in the interest of the common people.
Expressing deep concern in a joint statement, Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party Acting Amir Maulana Abdul Kayum Subhani and Secretary General Maulana Musa Bin Izhar stated that the price hike will directly impact agriculture, freight transport, industries, and daily commodities. They highlighted that earlier in April, diesel was raised by Tk 15, octane by Tk 20, petrol by Tk 19, and kerosene by Tk 18, followed by another Tk 5 hike in June for octane, petrol, and kerosene. They noted that the latest Tk 20 increase across all four fuels starting September 21 places a severe financial burden on energy expenditures within just a few months.
The Nezame Islam Party leaders emphasized that shifting state institutional losses onto the public is not a sustainable policy, even if international market volatility and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation losses were cited. They stressed that the diesel price surge will heavily affect low- and middle-income groups by driving up freight costs, transportation fares, and agricultural expenses. To mitigate this impact, they urged the government to adopt alternative fiscal policies, reconsider the fuel price hike, enforce strict market monitoring against opportunistic price surges in essential goods, and provide dedicated support to the transport and agriculture sectors to ease the overall economic burden.
Similarly, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan top leaders strongly protested the price increase, warning that the surge will elevate costs across transport, farming, and trade sectors. Chief Amir-e-Shariat Allama Abu Zafar Kasemi, Vice-Amir Shaykhul Hadith Maulana Abul Kasem Kasemi, Secretary General Mufti Fakhrul Islam, and Joint Secretary General Maulana Muhammad Hossain Akanda issued a joint statement expressing grave fears that further surges in essential commodity prices will heighten public distress. They emphasized that public interest must be given the highest priority without imposing additional financial burdens on citizens, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the price hike decision.
