BNP on Monday launched a 41-day programme to create public opinion against the price hike of daily essentials, diesel and kerosene.

Senior leaders of the party's Dhaka south and north units inaugurated the programme around 10:50am by distributing leaflets among the pedestrians in front of the party’s central office in the city’s Nayapaltan area.

Though there was no obstruction by law enforcers, the BNP leaders concluded the leaflet distribution programme only by 13 minutes.

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Later talking to reporters, Dhaka north city unit BNP convener Amanullah Aman said, “Our party has taken a 41-day leaflet distribution programme. The programme was inaugurated centrally by Dhaka north and south city units today (Monday).”

He said BNP will continue the programme until November 19 across the country. “Later, each of our associate bodies will carry out the programme for three days and thus we’ll continue this programme for 41 days.”

Aman said their programme is meant for mounting pressure on the government to lower the prices of diesel, kerosene, and essential commodities.

He said their party leaders and activists started distributing the leaflets across the country, including at villages, upazilas, thanas, railway stations, launch ghats, rickshaw garages and in shopping malls and markets.

The BNP leader alleged the government increased the bus fares and transport costs by staging a "sort of drama" in the name of a transport strike.

"We demand that the prices of diesel and kerosene and essential items be reduced immediately. This government is not accountable to people since it’s not elected by them.”

Aman urged the government to quit handing over power to a non-party government, paving the way for holding a fair and credible election in the country.

BNP Dhaka south city unit president Abdus Salam called upon people to raise their voice against the surging price of every essential item and public sufferings.

“If you (people) don’t register your protest, your sufferings will deepen and the government will continue its repression,” he observed.

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Salam said they started the leaflet distribution programme to mobilise public support for waging a united movement together with people of all walks of life against the current government.

The leaflet titled 'Stand up against the mass-enemy regime of Awami League’ contains a 12-point demand, including reducing the prices of essentials, diesel, kerosene, utility services and checking corruption and plundering of public money.

Meanwhile, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press conference at the party’s central office alleged that law enforcers obstructed their leaflet distribution programme at different parts of the country.