The government has cancelled all fertilizer dealers who were appointed during the previous Awami regime, described as a fascist period by officials. Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni announced the decision at a press conference in the Parliament lobby on Thursday, stating that new dealers will be appointed very soon to replace those removed.

In the same briefing, Moni said a ten-member committee has been formed to address the country’s ongoing energy crisis. The committee will include five members from the ruling party and five from the opposition, and will be led by Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku. The proposal for the committee was supported by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman following a suggestion from the opposition leader.

The proposal was unanimously passed in Parliament, signaling a rare moment of cross-party consensus on tackling the energy issue.