Fuel price hike triggeres protests in Bangladesh; ‘highest such increase in country’s history’

Bangladesh capital Dhaka is seeing a wave of agitations as people, including students from various educational institutions, have launched protests against the government’s decision to hike fuel prices.

The government, led by Prime Minister and Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina, raised the prices of diesel and kerosene by 42.5 per cent and petrol and octane by 51.1 per cent and 51.7 per cent respectively, on August 5. The fuel price increase led to a hike in public transport fares.

In an editorial, Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star said that this price hike is “the highest such increase in the country’s history”. It went on to add that people in the country are already dealing with “sky-high food prices and galloping inflation”, and this move will only increase to their hardship.