Bangladesh opposition launches protest march over energy crisis

Bangladesh opposition parties organized a massive protest march on Saturday, traversing the country to voice their discontent over severe shortages of cooking gas, electricity, and fertiliser. This marked the first significant public demonstration against the government, which assumed power in the South Asian nation of 170 million inhabitants six months earlier.

Thousands of demonstrators, carrying banners and shouting slogans, started from a public square in Dhaka, the capital, and embarked on their journey towards the port city of Chittagong. Along the way, similar rallies were scheduled to take place.

Opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman addressed the crowd, urging them to demand immediate relief from the energy crisis. "We need cooking gas and lighting in every household," he emphasized.

The government's response to the crisis has been questioned, with many pointing to the impact of the Middle East conflict as a contributing factor. Furthermore, the incident of a college student being arrested for allegedly insulting senior officials while expressing frustration over high electricity bills has raised concerns about the government's tolerance for dissent.

Akhter Hossen, a member of the opposition National Citizen Party, criticized the administration during the rally. "You have not provided gas, electricity, and fertiliser, and you are not allowing people to even voice their opinions," he stated.