Bangladesh National Awami Party-Bangladesh NAP has expressed deep concern and anxiety due to instability in the rice market despite the full season of Aman.
Top leaders of the party said, ‘Due to the negligence of the government, the market of rice has become unregulated, as a result of which the price of rice has gone up. People are not finding the answer to the question why the price of rice is increasing even in the full season of Aman.
In a statement sent to the media on Thursday, Bangladesh NAP Chairman Jebel Rahman Gani and Secretary General M. Golam Mustafa Bhuiyan says these things.
They further said, ‘It is clear as day that the price of rice is rising due to lack of strict action by the government. Its impact is on the wholesale and open market. The sudden price increase in the rice market is causing anxiety among the consumers.
‘Even though rice import opportunities and duties have been reduced, the situation is not promising. There is no shortage of paddy production, the traders have enough stock of paddy and rice. Yet the rise in prices is happening only because of the lack of strict government action to control prices. Earlier, the government put pressure on the millers by fixing the price, but no such action is being noticed this time.’
Leaders said, ‘Dishonest traders have continued to increase the price of rice on various pretexts. Wholesalers and millers are blaming the corporates for the increase in the price of rice. It is not enough to blame only the corporate institutions.’
“Millers and wholesalers are also raising prices to match them. On the other hand, there is no supervision of food department, consumer rights or district administration in the rice market. The rice market is out of control. Because of this, the price of rice is increasing from time to time.
They said, ‘despite taking various initiatives including reducing the import duty to reduce the price of the product, it has not had an impact on the market. The main reason for this is the inactivity of the syndicate. There is instability in the rice market due to the manipulation of millers.’
“Those who are causing instability in the rice market, if they are not brought under the law soon, the members of the syndicate will increase the price and bring the government and the people face to face.” Which will not be good for the state.’
The leaders also said, ‘There is high inflation in the country. In the meantime, the VAT and duty increase by the government is having a greater impact on the common people. Even in the peak season, the consumer has to buy rice at a higher price. The consumer class is getting extremely uncomfortable with this.’
“Government should take immediate drastic measures to stabilize the market. The market will not be regulated if government advisors and officials just sit in a climate-controlled room and talk about policy. To remember, no policy is useful if there is no rice in the stomach of the people.’
(Dhaka Times/January 16/JB)
Source: www.dhakatimes24.com
