Ramadan and prices of essentials

The sudden rise of prices of a number of essentials including vegetables on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, a month of self-purification and complete abstinence, is quite disconcerting. This has been causing deep concerns among the people, mostly of middle and low income groups. They constitute the majority of the country's population.  One of the factors that have led to the rise in such prices is disruption of the supply chain because of the continuous rains. Some dishonest sections among traders are also trying now to take full advantage of the situation. The prices of turmeric, chili and cucumber, as the FE reported last Saturday, rose by 33-35 per cent in the city kitchen markets last weekend over those of the previous week. Market sources hinted that the prices might rise further during Ramadan.

It had been a futile exercise in the past to use close market monitoring as a mechanism by the ministry of commerce (MoC) to help rein in the prices of essentials. The ministry is normally found to be lax about taking necessary measures to contain price pressures. Nor does it have any proper logistical support to perform market monitoring properly. Occasional crackdowns on kitchen markets did not bear any fruit in the past. Prices this year, too, have continued to rise, despite some relaxation of rules by the authorities concerned for facilitating imports to meet the demand because of fall in domestic production of some essential food items. There has hardly been any salutary effect of several visits to markets by the monitoring teams. As observed by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and other relevant groups, the key players in the market are making the most to earn outrageous profits on sales of essentials. And it is simply impossible to nab them without a well-knit network of market surveillance agencies as well as stricter enforcement of existing laws.

There could be no better time than this for making an intensive awareness campaign against over-profiteering that Islam, as a religion, prohibits. It calls for giving severe punishment to hoarders and profiteers, more so during the period when the 'devotees' are forced to suffer immensely because of the machinations by some dishonest traders. Mere fasting by such traders without following strictly religious injunctions defeats the very 'essence' of Ramadan. Different chamber bodies having their members in almost all localities of cities and towns can also play a pro-active role in the markets on their own by grilling the dishonest sections among traders. This is because the government machinery alone cannot do enough anywhere in the world to deal with an issue that is so vast and complex in nature.

Furthermore, the menace of food adulteration these days has worsened, quite alarmingly. In this context, the authorities concerned do need to continue their efforts aiming at vigorous crackdown on iftar markets with their mobile courts during the month of Ramadan in particular. This will help the 'devotees' to take hygienic and healthy iftar foods without worrying over any formalin-infected or chemical-contaminated item. As fruits are a common iftar item, the agencies concerned should keep a close eye on the safety of those. Already various consumer groups have demanded setting up of food courts in all districts in line with the provisions of the Safe Food Act 2013 to ensure instant punishment to those involved in food adulteration. It is the time for the government to play its part properly instead of holding out only promises about actions against those who continue to adulterate food items.