Acting Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Maulana ATM Masum has issued the following statement on 29th January, 2024 declaring demonstration programs in district towns on 30th January demanding immediate control of the price hike of essential commodities, to remove power and gas crisis and simultaneously calling for a date for holding a fresh election under caretaker government.

“The country is undergoing severe crisis. In addition, the price hikes of the essentials have caused deplorable situation for the people. The countrymen are also suffering from acute power and gas crisis. The marginal and poor people cannot even eat for once in day properly. The government is selling the common grocery items from the TCB trucks. The people are making queue to buy those items for hours but fail to buy finally.

Besides, the power and gas crisis, their sufferings know no bounds now. Due to gas shortages, the citizens have to cook food even in midnight. The factories cannot produce due amounts of products. Many shipments are being either cancelled or deferred. It is creating bad impact upon the export industries and overall economy is suffering terribly.

By hijacking the voting rights of the people, the government has completed a dummy election. Thus, they have been detached from the general masses and even in the international arena, they are being isolated as well. The dummy election of the government did not gain appreciation and recognition from in home and abroad. The nation is suffering from severe political, financial and diplomatic crises. The main reason behind this crisis is their greed for power by any means. The solution of these multifaceted crises is not possible without holding a free, fair and credible election under a caretaker government.

Under the circumstances, I am declaring demonstration programs in district towns on 30th January demanding immediate control of the price hike of essential commodities, to remove power and gas crisis and simultaneously calling for a date for holding a fresh election under caretaker government. I am calling upon the district level organizations and the district residents to make the declared programs successful.”