Opposition using the language of Hasina: Mirza Fakhrul

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that the opposition is now using the same language that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina once used.

“We have an opposition party. Unfortunately, this opposition has once again started playing the same role as before. Hasina used to say, ‘We won’t allow this, we won’t let that happen’—they are speaking in the same language,” Mirza Fakhrul said.

He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at an event at the Rangpur District Shilpakala Academy at around 1:30 pm on Sunday.

The event was organised by US-based charity organisation Love Share BD to inaugurate its self-funded project aimed at helping disadvantaged people become self-reliant. As part of the initiative, 25 tea stalls were handed over to 25 disadvantaged people in the Rangpur region.

Mirza Fakhrul reminded the audience that the government was only four to five months old and had already undertaken a number of initiatives during this period.

Speaking about the gas crisis, he said Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (BAPEX), which explores for oil and gas through drilling wells, had previously been left dysfunctional but was now being revived.

“Tenders have been invited for foreign companies to explore for gas here, and those companies are now coming,” he said.

Dwelling further on the country’s energy situation, Mirza Fakhrul said Bangladesh had to import oil and gas by ship, costing billions of dollars. He claimed that the Iran-US conflict had caused Bangladesh losses of nearly $4 billion in making payments.

“Even then, nobody has gone without oil or gas for a single day. Supplies have declined, but we are still getting them,” he said.

Speaking about plans for Rangpur and the northern region, Mirza Fakhrul said the prime minister wanted to develop agro-based industries in the region, which would create employment opportunities.

“This will create jobs. We will have work and won’t remain unemployed,” he said.

Referring to Rangpur's development, he said people in the region had historically remained behind because they had not always made the right political choices.

“When the BNP comes to government, you support the Jatiya Party. When the BNP comes to government, you support Jamaat. Then how will it work? How will you get [development]?” he remarked.

Mirza Fakhrul also said the government had established democracy, Parliament was functioning, and people had the freedom to speak, while newspapers could now publish whatever they wanted. However, he questioned the accuracy of information circulating on social media.

Among those present at the event were former Bangladesh ambassador to the United States and Senior Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mushfiqul Fazal Ansari, Rangpur Development Authority Chairman Md Shamsuzzaman Samu, Rangpur City Corporation Administrator Saiful Islam and Love Share BD Director Zahid Khan.