Countdown to the holy month of Ramadan has begun and Muslims around the world are waiting to fulfil their annual religious obligation. In our country too, like every other year, the practice is well noticeable with people grooming up such obligations. However, many traders seem to be on their toes again to roll up a big fortune exploiting the needs and demands of essentials in the market.
It is nothing new that the market, particularly the kitchen one, goes berserk during the Ramadan. Despite substantial supply, prices of many essential vegetables, meat and food products are raised causing extra-ordinary pressure on the pocket and budget of the consumers. The scenario has been dominant for several years disregarding requests, warnings and even 'commands' of the concerned authorities of the government and trade bodies. This frustrates the consumers.
While we are carrying the legacy of uncontrollable price-hike during Ramadan, it is important that we seek to bring a remedial in a holistic spirit. The overall food production in the country has been quite satisfactory and the damages due to flood last year have been duly addressed. The agriculture department is already boasting of significant production in many items. Even there have been media reports of bumper production of several items amid growers' failure at many places to sell off their produces.
There are many challenges for ensuring fair price during the peak demand season like that of the Ramadan. One is the erratic transportation cost. Seizing the opportunity, transport dealers levy extra charges. Second is the lack of proper warehousing facility. Third and the most important one is the dearth of monitoring of production and supply. Negligence in duty and corruption play a significant role in this regard. In addition, another challenge remains in the lack of inertia by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh or for that matter any civil society organisation.
Beyond all these challenges, the trends of the unscrupulous traders remain to be the most dominating factor for unusual rise in prices of all relevant items. These traders enjoy a fiesta of stockpiling common items like sugar, cooking oil, spices, onion and fruits. Many of them were brought to limelight by the media but no punitive action was taken against them. As such, the trend goes on.
The concerned authorities try to bring some solace by offering alternative market arrangements like supplying some items through the state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh. However, all these years this has been a peanut effort and we do not need this if there is strict vigilance over the overall market situation.
Many times it is questioned why the prices of festival-related commodities increase in our country while the same see a bonanza of reductions in other places. The answer is no secret. It is basically the moral responsibility of the traders and their holistic attitude. Indeed, bodies like the chambers of commerce and industries, trade unions and above all, the concerned administrative authorities must leap forward to address the issue. The unscrupulous traders and extortionists should not be allowed to roll on their sleeves to exploit the consumers when occasions like Ramadan set in.
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