Industrial sector on the brink of ruin: AL

Awami League presidium member Tofail Ahmed speaks at a seminar on 'The crisis in the country's industrial and commerce sectors created by the alliance government and the possible way out' at the National Press Club in the city yesterday. On his right is AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil and on his left is Lt. Col. (retd.) Faruk Khan MP. PHOTO: STAR

The industrial sector is also facing a serious crisis due to shortage of gas and electricity supply, they said.

Blaming the government for pushing the sector to the brink of ruin, AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed said the ruling alliances are now busy earning commission.

The government was able to add only 80 megawatt of power in the last four years, he said, adding that even that power plant was closed down a day after it went into operation.

The ruling alliance has totally failed to check prices of essentials due to lack of coordination among the ministries and departments, said Tofail, a former industries and commerce minister.

During the previous Awami League rule, the price of sugar ranged between Tk 29 and Tk 30 per kg, which has now gone up to Tk 45, he mentioned.

The Awami League organised the seminar on 'The crisis in the country's industrial and commerce sectors created by the alliance government and the possible way out' at the National Press Club, moderated by Lt. Col. (retd.) Faruk Khan MP.

The alliance government has forced several private and public jute mills to close down after turning them into loss-making units, said Tofail.

When the government shut down the Adamjee Jute Mills, four big jute mills went into production in the West Bengal state of India, he said.

AL presidium member and former agriculture minister Motia Chowdhury said about 30 lakh people in 16 northern districts are starving as prices of essentials have gone beyond their purchasing capacity.

"Chittagong Fertiliser Factory has been closed. As there is no electricity, how can the government run the factory," she said. "Shutting down our own factory due to shortage of electricity, the government is now importing fertiliser at higher prices."

AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil criticised the ruling alliance for its poor preparation for the upcoming ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation in Hong Kong, saying that the government is yet to prepare the country's working paper.

AHSK Sadek, former education minister, said the ruling four-party alliance want to use religion for its political gains.

Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, former state minister for planning, said the ruling party leaders are busy looting national resources by destroying small- and medium-scale industries.

The Awami League leaders said the price of coarse rice ranged between Tk 10 to Tk 11 per kg during the tenure of the AL government, but it was now selling between Tk 17 and Tk 18.

Abdul Mannan, organising secretary of the Awami League, and Prof Abul Barakat, general secretary of Bangladesh Economic Association, also spoke.