BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has accused the interim government of total failure in controlling the rising prices of essential goods. He criticized the government's inability to ease the hardships of the public and its failure to tackle market syndicates. Rizvi made these comments during a press conference at BNP’s central office in Nayapaltan on Saturday (January 11).
He emphasized that the unchecked price hikes of everyday essentials have caused great distress, forcing people to struggle with their daily expenses. Additionally, the mid-year increase in VAT and supplementary duties on over a hundred products in the 2024-25 fiscal year has further strained the finances of ordinary citizens.
Rizvi stated, "Inflation is suffocating the common people. VAT increases on essential items like life-saving medicines, LPG gas, powdered milk, biscuits, ketchup, juice, tissue paper, fruits, soaps, sweets, and even slippers are putting additional pressure on low and middle-income people." He also pointed out the heavy toll on the business sector due to the aftermath of the student-led uprising, with many traders still unable to recover their losses. Referring to the VAT hike decision, he called it a self-destructive move, saying, "Raising taxes during high inflation will only worsen people's lives and severely harm the economy."
According to Rizvi, the dominance of market syndicates and the government's policy failures have exacerbated the nation's economic challenges. He called for increased monitoring of commodity prices and tax policies, urging the government to take immediate, effective action in the public's interest.
