Only AL govt could keep prices under control: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said that had Awami League not been in power now people would have been fighting on the streets for essential commodities.
"Since the Awami League government has been in power it has been possible to control [prices of essentials] to some extent," she said adding, "If anyone else was in power there would have been fighting on the streets."
She said this while delivering her introductory speech at the National Economic Council (NEC) held to the approve annual development programme (ADP) for 2022-23 fiscal.
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The meeting was held at NEC auditorium while the premier joined virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.
Talking about the recent price hike of essentials, she said that Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war have put pressure on the global economy.
She mentioned that there are some countries in Europe where prices of essentials have been hiked from 17% to 50%.
Hasina said there is scarcity of edible oil in countries like Germany and the UK, where restrictions have been imposed on buying more than one littre edible oil at a time.
The inflation, she said, has hit the US at more than 8% and it will reach to 10%.
She mentioned that the whole world is suffering from this.
"The impact of these will also be visible on us. The prices of imported items have been increased. Cost of transportation [vessel rent] has been increased, production decreased where the war is ongoing."
She again urged the people to maintain austerity and control in using everything.
"If they do that they might not face any problem," she observed. She added that "The prices of essentials [at home] have increased due to the international factors and this has to be conveyed to the people."
She said that her government is trying to increase production using the country's fertile land to meet domestic demands.
"For that purpose, I called upon all not to leave a single inch of land without cultivation. We will produce our own food for us and help others. We have to motive people that way," she said.
