The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Over two dozen members of the Dhaka unit of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) went on hunger strike at its central office yesterday demanding containment of price hike of essentials, introduction of rationing system across the country and stern action against the syndicate members responsible for artificial crisis of daily essentials.

The programme started at around 11am and ended at 5pm. CPB condemned the police torture on its activists on April 17 while they tried to form a human chain at Muktangon.

Mujahidul Islam Selim, General Secretary of CPB, said, "The price of rice is not coming down as the food security system has failed due to the conspiracy of world Trade Organisation (WTO) and World Bank. He also blamed corrupt businessmen for creating artificial food crisis by forming syndicate."

He was critical of the government for its inability to control and contain price-hike of essentials.

CPB demanded introduction of "Public Distribution System" in all the district towns of the country, establishing fair price shop by government across the country, building buffer store of foodgrains, checking of corruption in food transport system, expansion of Open Market Sale programme, Marketing Operation, launching Test Relief and ending of the discrimination of food among the poor of Bangladesh.

Aasan Habib Lavlu, Dilip Barua, Hayder Akbar Khan Rono, Lina hakraborty, ampng others, were present on the occasion expressing their solidarity with the programme.