Pirojpur DC provided 5 buses under pressure, no govt involvement: Press Secy

Press Secretary to the Chief Advisor, Shafiqul Alam, has stated that the government had no involvement in the requisition of five buses by the Pirojpur District Commissioner (DC) for transporting people to the unveiling ceremony of the newly formed political party, the Jatiya Nagorik Party.

He claimed that the DC acted under pressure and in response to a request from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the Nagorik Committee.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Saturday, Shafiqul Alam said, “The DC of Pirojpur provided five buses under a certain level of pressure and in response to a request. The NCC had written to the DC, seeking assistance to bring two families of those injured and killed during the July revolution to Dhaka. The DC facilitated the requisition of buses based on this request and some pressure.”

He clarified that the government had no involvement in the matter and that the DC had not provided any fuel or additional expenses for the buses. “The government has no connection to this incident. We are investigating whether similar incidents have occurred elsewhere,” he added.

The issue came to light after a letter circulated on social media on Friday evening, claiming that the Pirojpur DC had requisitioned five buses for the NCC’s unveiling event in Dhaka.

Shafiqul Alam also mentioned that he had discussed the matter with the Cabinet Secretary. “The government is working to create a level playing field for all political parties to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections. Our primary responsibility is to ensure that all parties can participate equally. Most of the information circulating on social media is exaggerated,” he said.

Regarding the government’s efforts to control the prices of essential commodities during Ramadan, the Press Secretary stated, “Since taking office on August 8, the government has focused on keeping the prices of daily necessities at a tolerable level. Compared to last Ramadan, the prices of most commodities this year are within a manageable range. The government is closely monitoring the situation to ensure prices remain stable throughout Ramadan.”

He highlighted that the Ministry of Commerce, the National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Bank, and the Tariff Commission are working intensively to maintain the supply and affordability of essential items such as edible oil, chickpeas, and dates. “Thanks to collective efforts, the prices of many commodities have stabilized. The government is monitoring the supply of edible oil daily, and we hope the supply will increase further, keeping prices at a tolerable level,” he said.

Responding to concerns about the shortage of soybean oil in the market, Shafiqul Alam said, “We are closely monitoring both bottled and loose soybean oil. We have observed that the price of loose soybean oil has started to decrease. We hope the supply situation will improve, leading to better prices. We are making every effort to ensure an adequate supply of soybean oil in the market.”