National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam on Thursday accused the government of repeatedly betraying the people since the beginning of the election process.
"The betrayal this government has committed since the beginning of the election will continue at every step unless the people resist it. The people of Bangladesh will not allow the government to behave this way," he said.
Nahid made the remarks while addressing an 11-party unity program at Muktangan in the capital, protesting fuel price hikes and rising commodity prices.
Referring to the BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman, Nahid said: "If the Tarique Rahman government cannot ensure people's basic rights, including uninterrupted gas and electricity supply, employment opportunities, and affordable commodity prices, then it should not dream of remaining in power."
He also alleged that activists of the ruling party's student wing, Chhatra Dal, were carrying out attacks on opposition student activists on university campuses.
"The terrorists of Chhatra Dal are indiscriminately attacking activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the Students' Union and Chhatra Shakti. We want to remind them that the July fighters of the July Uprising are still on the campuses. We will not hand over campuses to any ruling student organisation," he said.
Expressing solidarity with protesters, Nahid said the people of Bangladesh were witnessing the suffering of ordinary citizens.
"We see women taking to the streets with pots and pans. People are marching with hurricane lamps because they have no gas or electricity, yet they are forced to pay inflated utility bills. A cruel form of oppression has begun against the people of Dhaka. We expected this, because a government that does not respect the people's mandate will never fulfil their demands," he said.
Nahid also warned the government against increasing gas prices further.
"If you move to raise gas prices again, you will not be able to remain in power. Over the past five months, you have increased the prices of LPG cylinders, electricity and fuel in phases. Now you are trying to increase gas prices as well. This oppression must stop immediately," he said.
