Dhaka, July 21 (UNB) - Blaming a ruling party-backed syndicate for pushing up the prices of essentials, opposition BNP on Saturday claimed that the government has established a reign of corruption in the country.

“The government-patronised businessmen are knocking up the prices of essentials as the government has created a reign of corruption across the country by forming the vicious syndicate,” BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.

He brought the allegation while talking to reporters at the house of noted journalist Gias Kamal Chowdhury after greeting the veteran journalist on the accession of his 73rd birthday.

Criticising the government for blaming the opposition for hiking the prices of basic commodities, the BNP spokesman said it has become the habit of the present government to shift its failures onto the opposition.

“The government should hand over power to the opposition as they think BNP is more powerful than them,” he observed.

Accusing the government of violating human rights, Fakhrul said many opposition leaders, including Ilias Ali, were made disappeared, while many others were killed by the government.

The BNP leader also thanked the international human rights bodies for raising their voice over the blatant violation of human rights in Bangladesh.

About Padma Bridge corruption, he said though the World Bank clearly stated that who were involved how the corruption was occurred in the project, it did not take any action against the culprits. “The government has held hostage the 16 crore people only to save a few persons.”

He urged the government to take action against those involved in the bridge project graft as suggested by the WB suggestion.