The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Admitting the big price gap between the retail and wholesale markets the Commerce and Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday said the government alone could not arrest the price hike unless all other concerned people extend their cooperation to contain it.

"Apart from the responsibility of the government, others have also a role to help bring price situation under control," he said.

He blamed some dishonest businessmen for deliberately raising the prices that created a wide gap of price between the wholesale and retail markets.

"The prices of rice, lentils, wheat, flour and onions are on the downtrend trend while those of sugar and ginger have increased a little bit," he told the media after a meeting which took place to review the market situation in the holy month of Ramzan at the Commerce Ministry.

Top officials of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and the Food Directorate among others, were attended the meeting. The Adviser said the prices of all other items are stable and there is apprehension of danger further price hike if the flood does not prolong. He hoped that floodwaters would recede within a couple of days and the situation would be getting better.

He said that the price of rice was falling and queues of the common people in front of the open-market sale (OMS) shops are no larger as has witnessed in the past.

He informed that OMS shops in many places could not sell all the allocated quantity of rice and 30-40 percent of the allocated remained unsold.

Replying to a question the Commerce Adviser said the government is now contemplating suspending OMS operation in North Bengal.

He told the media that that the Food Directorate has 11.87 lakh tonnes of rice at its stock at present.

"High prices of some products in the neighbouring countries have an impact on the local markets. India has produced 16 lakh tonnes of additional rice this year that has created a positive impact on the local markets," he mentioned.

He said the government would disburse Tk 20 crore every day for poor people from September 15 under which a 100-day programme for which Tk 200 crore has been earmarked.

A total of 20 lakh people will be benefitted from the programme taken for the lean period when scarcity of work prevails.

He said the government is now faced with the challenge of helping the poor and keeping the market stable.