প্রকাশ: 21/06/2022
Police in Nepal's
capital fired teargas and charged at protesters with sticks on Monday to break
up a demonstration by students against fuel price hikes, officials and
witnesses said, in a sign of growing public discontent over rising inflation.
State-owned monopoly Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) on Monday
raised the price of one litre of petrol and diesel by 12% and 16% respectively,
prompting fears of broader price hikes.
Around 100 protesters from the All Nepal National Free
Student Union (ANNFSU), the student wing of the main opposition Nepal Communist
Party (Unified Marxist-Leninist) clashed with police after they were stopped
from rallying in Kathmandu.
"This is an act of the government's sheer
irresponsibility," Girish Thagunna, a protester, told Reuters, referring
to the price hike. "This is wrong and should be withdrawn
immediately."
Dinesh Mainali, a police official, said protesters threw
stones and damaged a police vehicle but that there were no injuries or arrests.
Fares for public transport and goods vehicles had been
increased by up to 7.7% following the fuel price increase, local authorities
said.
Nepal's 29 million people are facing a surge in food and
energy prices, raising the risk of social unrest. Annual retail inflation
accelerated to a six-year high of 7.87% in mid-May.
Supplies Minister Dilendra Prasad Badu told a parliamentary
committee on Monday that the hike was necessary because of an increase in
global oil prices and to help the loss-making NOC to pay for imports.
- Reuters
প্রধান সম্পাদকঃ সৈয়দ বোরহান কবীর
ক্রিয়েটিভ মিডিয়া লিমিটেডের অঙ্গ প্রতিষ্ঠান
বার্তা এবং বাণিজ্যিক কার্যালয়ঃ ২/৩ , ব্লক - ডি , লালমাটিয়া , ঢাকা -১২০৭
নিবন্ধিত ঠিকানাঃ বাড়ি# ৪৩ (লেভেল-৫) , রোড#১৬ নতুন (পুরাতন ২৭) , ধানমন্ডি , ঢাকা- ১২০৯
ফোনঃ +৮৮-০২৯১২৩৬৭৭