Traders demand energy solution to prevent price hikes
Top importers, wholesalers, and retail trade leaders today declared that the supply of essential commodities including rice, edible oil, sugar, lentils, and flour remains stable across Bangladesh, leaving no immediate grounds for price hikes.
However, they issued a stark warning that maintaining market stability will become increasingly difficult unless the government takes urgent steps to resolve the ongoing fuel shortage, eliminate supply chain disruptions, and curb the influence of speculative intermediaries.
The observations were made during a comprehensive views-exchange meeting on the national supply and price situation of essential commodities, hosted by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at its Motijheel office.
The session was presided over by FBCCI Administrator Md Fazlul Hoque.
Addressing the gathering, business leaders stressed that keeping domestic supply aligned with consumer demand is the only way to prevent abnormal price surges.
Mill representatives noted that despite sharp increases in global raw sugar prices, local sugar prices have remained unchanged due to industry efforts.
However, severe gas and electricity shortages have repeatedly disrupted factory operations, threatening future output. They urged the government to guarantee uninterrupted energy supplies to production-oriented industries to avert impending market shocks.
During open discussions, Golam Mowla, General Secretary of the Moulvibazar Traders Association, emphasized that price stability is impossible without uninterrupted imports and continuous mill production.
He appealed to policymakers to immediately fix the severe energy crunch and remove persistent complications regarding Letters of Credit (LCs) at commercial banks.
To combat price manipulation, Saifur Rahman Sujon, General Secretary of the Karwan Bazar Raw Materials Arat Traders Owners Association, called for bringing street hawkers and unregistered vendors under formal regulatory monitoring.
Meanwhile, Md Zakir Hossain, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Super Market Owners Association, argued that reducing the number of middlemen in the supply chain is vital to keeping retail prices fair.
Trade leaders also demanded law enforcement action to stop extortion and harassment during transport, alongside strict price surveillance at mill gates, wholesale points, and retail hubs.
Md Abul Kalam Azad, Organizing Secretary of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), noted that both public and private stakeholders must take greater responsibility in managing market distribution. Meanwhile, representatives from the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) and the Directorate General of Food highlighted ongoing subsidized sales programs supporting low-income families.
In his closing remarks, FBCCI Administrator Md Fazlul Hoque promised to submit the traders’ core recommendations directly to government policymakers.
He also urged the business community to ensure that the newly announced national pay scale does not trigger unjustified price inflation across consumer markets.
