The government has taken various steps to keep prices of the essentials within a tolerable level at any cost ahead of holy month of Ramadan. It has decided to withdraw the value-added tax (VAT) on commodities like sugar, chickpea and edible oil. Besides, some 1.71 crore liters of soybean oil, 19,500 tonnes of lentil, 10,000 tonnes of chickpeas and 14,000 tonnes of sugar will be delivered to five crore people through the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh to meet the growing demand of the country. The operation of TCB is being extended up to the union level so that people can get products easily at a subsidised price.
People feel the pinch of price hike when local productions as well as international supply are hampered. However, we appreciate the government’s time-befitting steps to bring stability in the market. But, it is apprehended that the western sanctions on Moscow for its actions in Ukraine could send global food prices soaring, as Russia was one of the world's main producers of fertiliser, which is essential to global supply chains. Therefore, abnormal price hike of some commodities in the international market due to the Russia-Ukraine crisis has also influenced the market globally and consequently, prices of some commodities have also increased in our country.
The government should break the unholy
syndicate and take stern
action against dishonest traders
As the war has pushed up the transportation cost, the suppliers are taking the advantage of the situation which further escalated the prices of the products. Taking the chance, a dishonest clique became desperate to pocket hefty profits holding the people hostage by illegal hoarding and storage and forming syndication.
Authorities concerned assured people that there is no shortage of essential commodities in the country and there would be no shortfall in supply during the upcoming Ramadan. But, despite having enough stocks of essential commodities, some greedy and dishonest businesspeople are creating an artificial crisis. Therefore, we all must remain alert against illegal hoarding, storage and syndication.
We think this unholy nexus of dishonest businesspeople engaged in creating instability in the market targeting the month of Holy Ramadan will not refrain from manipulating the kitchen market. However, senior leaders of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in a planned way continued instigating the increase of commodity prices by giving statements despite knowing the entire global situation. In the name political programme, BNP’s senior leaders are still provoking the dishonest traders to increase prices of essential commodities in order to create artificial crisis.
Dishonest traders are doing anti-state acts by increasing prices of essentials and in the same way BNP is also indulging in anti-state activities by provoking dishonest traders. Therefore, the government should not accept the existence of any anti-people syndicate in the market. The government should break the unholy syndicate and take stern action against dishonest traders.
