Staff Reporter :
Finance Minister AMA Muhith has said the business operation is being severely disrupted in the districts during the blockade, though there is no disruption of life and business activities in capital city Dhaka.
“The situation has taken serious turn nowadays. The business activities in district level are not functioning because of the blockade and hartal enforced by BNP-led alliance. I don’t know when the blockade programme will end…. when the situation will normal,” Muhith said at a press conference at his ministry on Saturday afternoon.
The press conference was arranged on revealing a report titled: “Progress of the socio-economic of Bangladesh and recent macroeconomic position of 2001-2002 to 2013-2014 fiscal year”. When asked, whether the government has been spending extra money to bear the cost of deployment of BGB and police to tackle opposition movement, the Finance Minister said, “Of course, it needs extra budget and extra money. But I will not tell you the amount just now.”
Replying to another question, Muhith said, “Nobody knows when the current impasse will end. Can you tell about it? Earlier in January, I expressed hope that the situation will be normal within one week….”
“It’s [Bangladesh] a peculiar country. Anyone can enforce hartal-blockade if he wants to do. However, the country’s Gross Domestic Product [GDP] will remain above six despite prevailing violence,” he said.
The Minister said that he will submit a report over the loss that incurred during blockade and hartal in the meeting of coordination council scheduled in March next.
“Those who are conducting violence and arson attacks are the enemies of Bangladesh. I urge country’s sensitive persons to resist the anarchists,” he said.
