“Every day there is an operation, measures are being taken. But it has become imperative to identify those involved in market manipulation and crack down on them. We are seriously considering it. Struggling to bring the price of potato within the reach of consumers. we are sorry The market system is sick and abnormal.'
Mohammad Alim Akhtar Khan, director general of the National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate, has this understanding of consumer market regulation. He sent such a message to a group of journalists on WhatsApp yesterday.
According to TCB, potatoes were sold at retail for Tk 70 to Tk 80 per kg in the markets of the capital yesterday.
A week ago it was 65-75 rupees. But 13 percent duty exemption has been given for potato import.
When asked about sending messages to journalists on WhatsApp, Alim Akhtar told Ajkar newspaper, “We have got evidence from the egg market that there is syndicate and manipulation in the market. Usually when someone is punished for a crime others learn from it and quit that crime. But even after so many raids and punishments in the market, manipulation does not stop. This cannot be a healthy and normal market behaviour.'
However, the DG commented that the responsibility of normalizing the market is not the sole responsibility of the consumer department. He said, consumer department cannot punish all crimes. Therefore, all public and private institutions must take steps from their respective positions.
Meanwhile, trade adviser Sekh Bashir Uddin spoke about the market situation of daily commodities in an event in the capital yesterday. He said in the event at the Dhaka Reporters Unity Auditorium, 'We are trying to make the market as tolerant as possible, focusing on Ramadan. In the meantime, the prices of daily commodities in the market have come down a little. With everyone's cooperation, the prices of sugar, onion and oil have come down a bit already.'
