CHITTAGONG, June 29: The consumers and trade body leaders have demanded fixing of prices of essential commodities and Iftar items including egg-plant, green chili and coriander by the administration.
They said that the prices of those vegetables had gone up in the local market although the government imposed a ban on the export of those items on the occasion of the Ramadan.
The views were expressed at a meeting organised by the district administration and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) at Chittagong Circuit House this noon.
Presided over by deputy commissioner of Chittagong Mesbah Uddin Ahmed and moderated by CCCI president Mahbubul Alam, the views exchange meeting was addressed as the chief guest by joint secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Abdul Mannan, additional police commissioner Bonoj Kumar Majumder, police superintendent AKM Hafiz Akhter, CCCI directors, BGMEA leaders, BKMEA leaders, CAB, shop owners federation leaders, restaurant owners association, BSTI, consumer rights department, leaders of different market traders and senior government officials.
Abdul Mannan told the meeting that the prices of egg-plant, coriander and green chilli should not go high as export ban on these items have been imposed as a result of which adequate quantity of these items is in supply in the market.
"But the dishonest traders have raised the prices just ahead of the holy month, which should be resisted and dishonest traders be dealt with a strong hand by the monitoring teams," he said urging the concerned authorities to fix up prices of the essential commodities.
He expressed the hope that prices of the Iftar items that have been banned for export will come down to normal level. "Prices generally go up during the Ramadan due to excessive demand from the buyers and consumers. The dishonest traders take this opportunity," he said.
Mahbubul Alam said the trade body leaders and businesses will help to keep the prices of Ramadan and Iftar items normal but the common people are frightened at the use of formalin in the foods.
He said that the fruit traders have alleged that the BSTI (Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute) has been using faulty machine to test the formalin in fruits. "Please ensure formalin-free fruits and other food items and if needed, the CCCI will procure and supply the high quality formalin testing machine to the traders concerned, " he said.
