Press Release
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The Unending Price Hike of Gas is a Common Phenomenon under Secular-capitalists Ruling
The Upcoming Khilafah (Caliphate) will ensure the Ownership of People over Oil and Gas Resources
The oppressive Hasina regime is now set to increase gas price by 117% amid the ongoing gas supply crisis within just two months of raising the prices of diesel, kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas. According to the proposals of the distributors, the price of the single burner will rise to Tk 2000 from Tk 925 per month while the price of the double burner will rise to Tk 2100 from Tk 975. Already the poor and the middle-classes are in deep misery for the extensive impact of fuel price hike on the cost of living and consumption. Now, the common people’s situation will be worsened further as they are already struggling with the rising commodity prices. According to the government agencies, this hike is unavoidable as distribution cost of liquefied natural gas (LNG) will increase in future due to its purchase from the volatile spot market. But we know that the secular-capitalist governments always live by lie and deception, and this criminal regime is also no exception. They are giving the excuse of expensive LNG import from the spot market, whereas only around 150 MMcf (million cubic feet) LNG is bought from the spot market out of the 750 MMcf LNG supply per day. Moreover, even though the six state-owned companies made a total profit of Tk 11.81 billion in the last financial year (sharebiz.net, 19 January 2022), they are still putting pressure for price hike! No apparatus of this secular-capitalist regime wants to lag behind in looting people’s money.
Fact of the matter is that we would never have to resort to LNG import if we had sincere leadership, which the secular-capitalist system can never produce. All the successive governments in Bangladesh have deliberately made the country dependent on foreign powers for its primary energies, whereas the country’s mainland and offshore have significant potential reserves of gas. These treacherous governments have intentionally kept the state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX) ill-equipped for decades so that they can keep transferring out the development of energy to the private sector and the multinationals on that pretext. There has never been any serious commitment to enhance capacity building, technical know-how and skilled human resource development within focused timeline for gas exploration to avoid external dependence in the long run. Out of 25 shallow and deep-sea blocks, only three blocks have been given so far for exploration. And whatever explorations are taking place, the ownership of our vital gas resource is thereby given to the foreign companies. Recently, this traitorous regime has given another contract to the enemy State India’s state-owned ONGC Videsh Ltd and Oil India Ltd to drill a new block in the Bay of Bengal under Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs). Our energy sovereignty and security will always remain at risk in the hands of these treacherous secular rulers.
O People of Bangladesh! RasulAllah ﷺ said, “Muslims are partners in three; water, pasture, and fire (energy)” (Ibn Majah). According to shariah law, oil and gas are public properties. The Khilafah State will manage these properties on behalf of the people and distribute the benefits to all its citizens. So, no profit or no tax can be imposed on these benefits, let alone price hike. The upcoming Khilafah will eliminate the private ownership over these resources and ensure the rights of her citizens. So, return to Allah (swt) by striving to bring back the promised Khilafah Rashidah (rightly guided Caliphate) on the method of Prophethood. Allah (swt) says,
* وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ *
“But he who fails to heed My warning will have his means restricted; and on the Day of Resurrection We shall raise him blind” (Surah Ta-Ha: 124).
Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir / Wilayah Bangladesh