Stern action if traders manipulate commodity prices during Ramzan

Staff Reporter :
The government has warned the wholesale traders, corporate companies and rice millers against manipulating commodity prices during the holy month of Ramzan.
Commerce ministry officials said that there is no possibility of any supply crunch of essential commodities during the month of Ramzan because of their ample stock.
They also warned of stern legal action against any kind of attempt to create artificial crisis of essential commodities in the market during the holy month.
Meanwhile, the government has also taken initiative to sell milk, eggs and beef at low prices in the capital through mobile sales centres during Ramzan.
Though the government wants to lessen the price of food products and commodities, especially keeping the rice price stable during the holy month of Ramzan, the traders and rice millers claimed that the rice price is too low in the country now comparing with the price of paddy in the market.
Considering the over all situation, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Tuesday asked the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of all districts, administrative officials, officials of law enforcement agencies and regional, district and upazila level officials and employees of the Directorate General of Food (DG Food) officials to keep strict vigilance in the market, so that they cannot increase the price of essentials during Ramzan.
“Keep strict vigilance in the market. If necessary, visit the rice mills, wholesale traders and corporate companies. Strict and stern legal actions must be taken against those who would hoard extra products including rice than the conditions of their licenses,” the Food Minister said while addressing a meeting with the Food Ministry and DG officials, officials of law enforcement agencies and business leaders held at the DG Food Auditorium in Dhaka.
Food Secretary Ismail Hossain chaired the meeting while Director General of DG Food Sakhawat Hossain, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) Chairman Abdul Kaiyum Sarker, Additional DG of DG Food Abdullah Al Mamun, Bangladesh Auto, Major and Husking Mill Owners Association President Abdur Rashid and General Secretary Layek Ali, City Group’s Adviser Amitav Chakrabartee, Babubazar Wholesale Rice Traders Association General Secretary Nizam Uddin, Brahmanbaria Rice Mills Owners Association General Secretary Monirul Islam Bhauiyan and Naogaon Rice Traders Association President Nirodh Baran Saha spoke the programme.
In the meeting, representatives of all rice trading associations and corporate companies have assured that there will be no problem in the food grain supply chain during the Ramzan as there are huge stocks in the country. So, rice price wouldn’t increase anymore during the Ramzan if the supply chain remains ok.
In the meeting, Abdur Rashid, also the largest rice trader of Kushtia, said that many rice mills across the country remained closed due to random import of rice in last few months. As a result, the rice price in the market is too low than the price of paddy.
He urged the government to ensure supply of money for the closed rice mills, so that they can start operation again. Same time, he also requested to stop random import of rice to save the millers.
Layek Ali, a rice trader of Natore, said that the rice millers incur losses due to the fixed price of suppling rice to the government godowns during internal procurement drive.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock on Tuesday said in a release that beef will be sold at Tk 640 per kg, mutton at Tk940 per kg, dressed broiler chicken at Tk 340 per kg, milk at Tk 80 per litre and eggs at Tk10 each in the capital through mobile sales centres.
The move comes as a relief to consumers as beef is currently being sold in city markets at Tk750-800 per kg.
The Directorate of Animal Resources will formally inaugurate the programme on March 23 and it will continue till the 28th day of Ramzan, the press release said.
The places where these products will be sold are – Abdul Gani Road adjacent to the Secretariat, Khamarbari, Japan Garden City in Mohammadpur, Mirpur Shat Foot (60 feet) Rasta, Azimpur Matrisadan, Nayabazar in Old Dhaka, Arambagh, New Bazaar, Kalshi in Mirpur, Khilgaon Railgate, Lucas Mor in Nakhalpara, Segunbagicha Kancha Bazar, Basila of Mohammadpur, Diabari of Uttara, Jatrabari, Gabtali, Hazaribagh, Karail Basti of Banani, Kamrangirchar and Rampura.