Govt says fuel price hike had no better alternative

The government had no better alternative than raising fuel prices despite knowing the decision would undeniably increase the suffering of ordinary people to some extent, said Zahed Ur Rahman, adviser to the prime minister on information and broadcasting, yesterday.

He noted that local government elections were approaching and said no government would deliberately take such an unpopular decision at such a time.

“I hope the people will realise why their elected government took this decision at this moment,” he said while responding to questions from journalists during a weekly briefing at the Secretariat.

The adviser also said the fuel price hike was not imposed as a condition of the International Monetary Fund.

Zahed also said the government sees no political crisis despite recent incidents such as crude bomb explosions and buses being set on fire in Dhaka.

“Those who are in the opposition now are holding long marches. Let them do so; they are even giving one-point demand to the government,” he remarked.