Despite assurances of the authorities concerned for market control during Ramadan and Eid, syndicates continue to manipulate the prices of essential goods, resulting in instability in the market.
To control the rice market, the food ministry has already given instructions to write the variety of rice and the mill gate price on the rice bag from April 14. At the same time, the date of manufacture, the location of the manufacturer (district and upazila) are to be mentioned there. But no new move regarding this has been seen in the market.
Each day, between 180 to 200 trucks loaded with rice are transported from Naogaon to various regions of the country, including the capital. While it is compulsory to display the type of paddy, rice name, and price at both retail and wholesale levels on bags starting from Pohela Boishakh, this regulation has not been put into effect at the Naogaon mill.
Rice millers have said that such a directive is a time-consuming process. General Secretary of Naogaon Auto Rice Mill Owners Association Md. Taufiqul Islam Babu said that the implementation of the guidelines is definitely important, but it is a time-consuming matter. On the other hand, although the price of potato is set at Tk 29
by the government, it is being sold at Tk 50 in the kitchen market. Consumers complain that syndicate manipulation is behind it.
Although the agriculture department stated that the production cost of potato is Tk 18 per kg, the farmers insisted their production cost stood at Tk 20 to Tk 25.
Though the government fixed the price of potato at Tk 29 per kg, none of the traders accepted the selling price.
However, retailers at the Karwan Bazar kitchen market have informed that there is no valid reason for the potato price hike. Few unscrupulous traders might be manipulating the supply chain, they claim.
When the essentials markets are out of control, State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu claims that there was relief during Eid regarding the price of goods.
Citing the uncertainty of the recent Iran-Israel attacks, the state minister fears that the international supply chain will affect the market. However, his ministry is working so that these challenges do not affect the country’s market.
While talking about the market instability, Textiles and Jute Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak put importance of market regulation in maintaining fair consumer transactions and said that the term ‘Syndicate’ is not applicable to the kitchen market.
It is the government’s responsibility to oversee and ensure such regulation.
