Sylhet, Oct 03 (V7N) – The National Liberation Council’s Sylhet district unit held a protest rally and procession on Saturday demanding uninterrupted electricity supply and protesting the increase in fuel prices.
The programme began at around 4pm from Taltala Point in the city. The protesters marched through several major roads before ending the procession at Court Point, where they held a rally.
Nurul Islam Mokbul, coordinator of the National Liberation Council’s Sylhet district unit, presided over the rally.
Speakers included organisation member Nurul Huda Saleh, Bangladesh Writers’ Camp Sylhet district president Khaled Uddin, Bangladesh Trade Union Federation Sylhet district joint convener Minhaj Ahmed, member Harun-ur-Rashid, and Sylhet District Hotel Workers’ Union General Secretary M Safar Ali Khan.
Publicity Secretary Akir Hossain, Bangladesh Trade Union Federation member Razzak Mia, Shirin Mia and other leaders were also present.
At the rally, speakers said the country was currently facing a severe electricity shortage, with frequent load-shedding disrupting household activities, production, businesses and trade.
They claimed that the prolonged power crisis was creating instability in people’s daily lives while reduced production was affecting incomes. They also accused the government of failing to resolve the crisis.
The speakers attributed the electricity shortage to mismanagement in the power sector, excessive capacity charges and wastage of electricity. They also demanded an immediate end to what they described as disparities in electricity distribution between urban and rural areas.
Criticising the rise in fuel prices, the speakers said higher fuel costs had increased transportation and production expenses, directly affecting the prices of essential commodities.
The protesters demanded an immediate reduction in fuel prices and called for the introduction of a rationing system for essential goods to ease the pressure on ordinary people.
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