Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Tuesday urged the traders to seek the law enforcing agencies' help if any incidents of extortion take place anywhere during the month of Ramadan.
The law enforcing agencies will take prompt actions to stop such offences which are to blame for the usual hike in the prices of essential commodities, augmenting woes of the public during the month of fasting.
"If any incidents of extortion take place anywhere, let the law enforcers know so that they can take necessary actions," the minister said while addressing an anti-price spiral campaign for the month of Ramadan.
Mr Kamal observed that traders often do not complain to the administration if they fall prey to extortionists, simply for lack of courage.
"I often see, many of you lack courage to lodge complaint about extortion," he said.
The minister was speaking as the chief guest at the programme aimed to encourage the consumers about frugal purchase so that excessive demands cannot lead to price hike.
Bangladesh Metropolitan Shop Owners Association (BMSOA) and Dhaka Metropolitan Shop Owners Association (DMSOA) organised the programme titled 'Frugal purchase campaign centering the month of Ramadan 2019' at the city's Kawran Bazar.
Director General (DG) of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Benazir Ahmed, Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Md Atiqul Islam, Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) president Ghulam Rahman and Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) President Md Shafiul Islam spoke on the occasion among others.
BMSOA chairman Helal Uddin presided over the function while DMSOA president Toufik Ehsan moderated it.
The minister also said due to the government's efforts, the law and order situation in Kawran Bazar area has improved remarkably in the past one decade.
"Now the businesses here can operate in peace," he added.
Mr Kamal also called upon the organisers to arrange similar programmes at other kitchen markets in the city.
RAB chief Benazir Ahmed said there should be the provision of capital punishment for the businesses who deal with adulterated food items.
"Those who are involved with food adulteration, they are also killers," said Mr Ahmed, adding the culprits must face capital punishment.
Mentioning the positive changes in Bangladesh's various fields, he said it is high time the traders should come out of the culture of price hike during Ramadan.
RAB personnel will keep vigil at the kitchen markets to take instant actions against the syndicate of price manipulators and undue price hike of essentials, the force chief said.
Md Atiqul Islam laid stress on the traders' Islamic belief of eternal good and ethical sense for keeping the market situation stable.
Ghulam Rahman said the traders should change their mindset towards business during Ramadan considering it 'a religious occasion'.
Businesses in many developed countries lower the prices of many essentials ahead of religious festival like Christmas," he viewed.
FBCCI President Shafiul Islam urged the government representatives at the programme to solve some of the problems including extortion, which are responsible for price hike during Ramadan.
The organisers sold a package of vegetables for Ifter at the event at reduced price to create awareness among the consumers.
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