Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has blamed ‘a conspiracy by some quarters’ for price rises, and said the government will take sufficient steps to control inflation.
At the ruling Awami League’s first meeting after its election victory, Hasina on Monday said people are suffering the most because of price rises.
“Some quarters conspire to raise inflation. But, it’s also true that people’s purchasing power has also increased,” she said.
Hasina mentioned the government’s measures to control inflation and ease people’s sufferings, such as distributing daily necessities among the low-income people at subsidised prices.
“We’ve taken steps to buy goods for the upcoming Ramadan in advance,” she said and added the government will focus more on its efforts, especially in increasing production and skills, to tame inflation further.
“We’re not unaffected by recessions worldwide. I’ve always said not an inch should be left uncultivated so that we don’t face a shortage of food.
“We must increase production and diversify exports, explore markets for jute, leather and other goods, and train people to create skilled manpower for export,” the prime minister said.
Hasina said Bangladesh is self-sufficient in food, but it still needs to buy cooking oil, wheat, fuel oil and gas.
“The demand for gas has increased because we have given electricity connection to every house. Our fertiliser factories also need gas. In these cases, we are taking steps in advance,” she said.
The Awami League chief said her party always keeps in mind its election manifesto while planning a national budget.
“We will do it in the next budget as well. It will reflect our promises and future plans. Bangladesh's welfare depends on the Awami League, the party which changed the people’s fate.”
Hasina urged party leaders to stop blaming each other for election losses and start working for the people’s welfare.
The Awami League has won 223 seats in the polls for an absolute majority in parliament, but lost 62 seats to independents, mostly rebel leaders of the party.
