Leader of the Opposition and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman condemned overnight fuel price hikes as public oppression during a Monday visit to Sylhet. He delivered the remarks to journalists after meeting the grieving family of murdered child Fahima in the Sonatala area.

Rahman criticised the administration for bypassing parliamentary debate to increase tariffs while the population slept, describing the sudden move as a deception against citizens. He warned that the government forfeits its mandate to govern if it continuously fails to protect residents and ensure judicial accountability.

Addressing local security grievances, the opposition leader demanded a 15-day deadline to conclude Fahima’s murder trial, mirroring a recent prime ministerial commitment regarding the Ramisa case. He expressed severe frustration that law enforcement agencies have failed to submit a formal chargesheet 28 days after the brutal killing.

“If the trial of the Fahima murder case goes towards procrastination, then we will assume that this trial will not happen,” Rahman stated. He urged the local police commissioner to expedite legal documentation and promised the victim’s family comprehensive legal backing across both lower and higher courts.

Jamaat Central Assistant Secretary General Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Jubayer, Sylhet City Ameer Muhammad Fakhrul Islam, and District Ameer Maulana Habibur Rahman attended the delegation alongside other regional party officials.