We express concern over the skyrocketing prices of essentials when people are struggling to turn around after the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The prices of most of the essentials like rice, pulses, oil, sugar and onion continued to keep soaring. No one will understand the agonies of the low-income consumers. Prices are rising although their income has not increased. It has been noticed that low-income people, especially day-labourers, rickshaw-pullers, drivers or housemaids used to come to buy daily essentials at low prices earlier. But now the middle-class people are also crowding markets or outlets to buy essentials standing in queues.
However, the Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Monday urged people not to get panicked as there are sufficient stock of essential commodities in the country while the supply chain is also normal. He also cautioned that the government would take tough stance if anyone tries to make excessive profit through market manipulation. But the fact is that syndicates comprising traders, wholesalers and millers are still hiking the prices of daily essentials under the very nose of the authorities concerned.
There is no alternative to getting tough on
syndicates responsible for creating unrest
in the kitchen market deliberately
Though intelligence agency earlier identifying the members of this unholy nexus submitted a list to authorities concerned, they remain still untouched. And no legal action has been taken against the identified dishonest traders, wholesalers and millers yet. As a result, they have become desperate to make large profit. Thus, the prices of essential commodities are going up due to the excessive greed of traders.
It is not possible to arrest the prices of daily essentials by only making statements or issuing warning instead of getting tough with the greedy traders. If the government does not get tough on the organised thugs and syndicate is not broken, the prices of daily essentials will not come down. Besides, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) must be strengthened and the rampant extortion of the influential quarter in the transport sector will have to be stopped to bring the abnormal price-hike down.The middle- and lower-income people are facing serious financial hardship as running families have now become unbearable for them. Therefore, we think there is no alternative to getting tough on syndicates responsible for creating unrest in the kitchen market deliberately.