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Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir speaks at a meeting with traders and importers in Chattogram
Selling oranges at Tk 400 to Tk 500 per kilogram even after customs duties have been paid is unacceptable, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir has said. He warned that traders attempting to create artificial shortages or make excessive profits during Ramadan or any other special occasion would face strict action.
The minister made the remarks on Thursday at a meeting with traders and importers at the conference hall of the World Trade Center in Agrabad, Chattogram. The Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised the meeting to discuss uninterrupted supplies of essential commodities and measures to keep the market stable.
Muqtadir said authorities must also keep a close watch on the prices at which imported goods are ultimately sold to consumers after customs duties and other charges have been paid. He said unusually high prices for products such as oranges should not be allowed to place unnecessary pressure on consumers.
The minister said the government was working on long-term plans to maintain stable supplies and prices of essential commodities throughout the year. Taking geographical advantages into account, agricultural production would be planned on a region-by-region basis, he said.
He explained that identifying which crops should be produced in particular areas and during specific periods could help ensure a steady supply of food and vegetables. Such planning, he said, would also help prevent seasonal shortages and unusual price increases.
Muqtadir said the country had sufficient stocks of essential commodities ahead of the upcoming Ramadan. According to him, supplies of sugar, chickpeas, dates, onions and edible oil, among other necessities, were adequate. Additional imported goods are also currently in the supply pipeline, he added.
The minister said there was therefore no justification for creating an artificial shortage during Ramadan or at any other time. If traders deliberately or collectively attempt to raise prices by manipulating supply, the government will take strict action against them, he warned.
Chattogram Chamber president Mohammad Amirul Haque chaired the meeting. Former chamber president and Port Users Forum chairman Amir Humayun Mahmud Chowdhury, former president Ali Ahmed, senior vice-president Md Amjad Hossain Chowdhury, BGMEA first vice-president Selim Rahman, Khatunganj Trade and Industries president MA Salam, BPAIME first vice-president Shahidullah Chowdhury and Customs Commissioner Muha. Mahbubur Rahman were among those who spoke at the event.
https://thedailyexpress.news/news/business/1f1c3421-d5b3-6310-b1db-28a77124a253