Opposition Chief Whip and National Citizen Party convener Nahid Islam accused the BNP government of severe mismanagement and poor planning during its first 180 days, saying public suffering had increased. He made the remarks at a press briefing on Sunday evening after an 11-party alliance meeting at the opposition leader’s official residence on Minto Road in the capital. The meeting, chaired by Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, discussed the planned Dhaka-Chattogram long march on September 5.

Islam alleged that the government had failed to maintain law and order and cited load-shedding, fuel and gas shortages, rising gas and cylinder prices, factory closures, extortion, fertilizer shortages and business concerns. He said the government should apologise and seek help from opposition parties and the public instead of presenting what he called misleading claims of success.

He called for implementation of the referendum verdict and a national policy on energy and law and order involving all parties. The alliance said its long march would demand implementation of the referendum verdict, justice for the July killings, and action on law and order, commodity prices and energy shortages.