Revoke power price hike or face street protests: BNP

BNP Vice Chairman Barkatullah Bulu on Friday warned that their party will take to the streets together with people if the government does not cancel its decision to hike power price.

“The price of electricity has been increased again. It’s an anti-people decision of the government. We’ll protest against this on January 16 in cities and upazilas across the country,” he said.

Speaking at a human chain programme, the BNP leader said the decision to raise the power prices must be withdrawn immediately. “Otherwise we’ll wage a movement together with people against the government. We’ll not pay electricity bills in the coming days and people will stop paying the electricity bills.”

Democracy Forum, a pro-opposition platform arranged the human chain programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, protesting a court order to confiscate movable and immovable property of BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman in a corruption case.

The government on Thursday hiked the retail price of electricity by 5 percent effective from January. The the electricity price was hiked at retail level last time in February 2020.

Bulu alleged that the court passed the order to confiscate the property of Tarique and his wife at the behest of the government to divert people’s attention to a different direction. “This regime has been suffering from the fear of Tariq Rahman.”

He said the people no longer want to see the Awami League government in power due to its misrule.

“The BNP and other political parties have started a simultaneous movement to establish a government of people ousting the current autocratic one, he said.

Bulu also warned that those who looted millions of taka from banks and in the name of quick rental and rental power plants and mega projects, and siphoned off huge money abroad will be tried in public court in the coming days."