Food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Wednesday issued a four-day ultimatum to the businessmen to reduce rice prices to avoid action.
“The price of rice must be brought down within four days. Otherwise stern measures will be taken if the price is not reduced within the deadline,” the minister came up with a note of warning during a meeting with rice mill owners, wholesale and retail traders at the Directorate General of Food in the capital.
Hinting at the businessmen, the minister said when the government was busy during the 12th parliamentary elections, the businessmen raised the price of rice by Tk 6.
Terming the price hike as illogical, he said there was no reason to increase the price of rice during the season of Aman.
“The way you have raised the price, you will drop it following the same way. Or the government will take stern measures in line with the law,” he said.
At the meeting, the traders put their logic over the hike.
“The price of paddy was increased as the businessmen engaged in a race for buying paddy. The procurement of paddy is now stopped. The market will remain quiet if friendly programmes are introduced,” Mosaddeque Hossain of Dinajpur Rice Mill Owners Association, said.
Rejecting the claim of the owners, the minister said the government can no way accept such logic over the hike during the peak season.
He said the owners suddenly raised the price during the time of the formation of the government.
“Some dishonest traders have stored rice in the plea making money. Raising Tk 6 in four days is no way acceptable. Such tendency turns into greediness,” he said.
Baran Saha Chandan of Noagaon Rice Mill Owners Association told the meeting that the price of coarse rice did not increase.
“The way the millers are being blamed, it should not be done. The corporate companies are destabilising the market of rice,” he opined.
Mr Hannan of Dinajpur Traders Association said that the crisis was created as the government simultaneously went for procuring rice from all the districts.
“If the monitoring is increased, the price will drop further” he said.
Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill Owners Association
president Abdur Rashid told the meeting that the millers have to run a competitive business. “There is no existence of syndicate. It is true that the price has been increased. Now it starts dropping,” he said.
Representatives of corporate bodies also attended the meeting.
