Prices of essentials during Ramadan

At a meeting held recently with the high officials of the TCB and the commerce ministry, the commerce minister said the government has taken adequate preparations to keep prices of essential commodities stable and within the consumers' reach during the month of upcoming Ramadan. The minister also spoke of other measures being contemplated by the government to keep the supply situation stable during the holy month. The TCB import will also help check any artificial crisis during the Ramadan, said the minister.

Holding of such meetings before the holy month makes our heart tremble, creates a kind of scepticism, and raises a few questions. Since long we have been used to seeing such meetings and hearing of such assurances and promises by the ministers and high officials before and during Ramadan. But experiences say, the government takes preventive measures for steady supply and stable prices of essentials on one side, while on the other side, unscrupulous traders keep on creating artificial crisis and enhancing prices.  

The government puts importance on keeping supply and price steady and stable during Ramadan. Does it not indicate that the government is concerned to keeping supply and price under control during Ramadan only, and the remaining periods of the year be at the mercy of the traders. Why the TCB needs to be instructed to ensure supply of essentials during Ramadan only? Does not it encourage the traders to go berserk and keep the price and supply unsteady and instable during the remaining eleven months of the year? Why the TCB gears up open market sale in Ramadan only. Should the people buy essentials at exorbitant prices during the other months of the year?

Let the government machineries including the TCB remain busy and active throughout the year, there will be no crisis in the market, no unscrupulous businessman will get the chance to go berserk even during the Ramadan.

Munshi Hashem Ali

Uttara, Dhaka