NCP to stay on streets until gas, power crises ease

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam has vowed that the opposition will remain active on the ground until gas and electricity supplies and the law and order situation return to normal.

He alleged that Bangladesh had been grappling with gas and electricity crises since the Sheikh Hasina era, when widespread corruption took root, leaving many problems unresolved.

“If appropriate measures had been taken during the past seven months, addressing these crises would have been much easier,” Nahid said.

He made the remarks on Friday during an exchange meeting with local residents at Satarkul School and College in his Dhaka-11 constituency. Before the meeting, he visited several neighbourhoods and spoke to residents about their concerns.

Nahid said the opposition would continue its grassroots activities until essential energy supplies and the law and order situation stabilised.

Referring to the recent election, he said the people of Satarkul had rejected extortionists at the ballot box and would not elect them again.

"The people of Satarkul rejected the extortionists in the last election. They will not elect them again," he said.

The NCP leader also alleged discrimination in the allocation of development funds between government and opposition constituencies.

He said opposition constituencies do not receive allocations comparable to those represented by ruling party lawmakers, making it difficult to formulate and implement development plans even when there is a genuine desire to do so.

"Development allocations should be equal for the government and the opposition," Nahid said, calling for an equitable distribution of public resources irrespective of political affiliation.

He said equal allocation was essential for balanced development and to prevent political representation from determining citizens' access to public services and development projects.