Aziz blames reduced flow of Boro to market for higher rice price
FE Report | Sunday, 6 July 2008
Finance and planning adviser Mirza Azizul Islam Saturday said the government would start implementation of the "employment guarantee scheme" during the next lean season (September-October) by creating job opportunities for the unemployed poor.
"The policy guidelines to this effect have almost been finalised. We will send the final guidelines to the implementing ministries within 2-3 days," he said at a seminar in the city.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) in collaboration with the Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) and Oxfam International organised the seminar titled "Price-hike and Poverty Alleviation: Budget 2008-09" at the DCCI auditorium in the city.
Businessmen, economists, academicians and others were present at the seminar, with DCCI president Hossain Khaled in the chair. President of BEA Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad moderated the discussion.
Following the high inflationary pressure and low employment opportunities for the poor, the government in the current year's budget allocated Tk 20 billion for an employment guarantee scheme under which the poor and the ultra-poor would be provided jobs for a period of 100 days, especially during the lean season.
Under this programme, job opportunities will be created for 2.0 million unemployed poor.
Mirza Aziz at the seminar said prices of food especially rice have not come down until date as the Boro crop is yet to arrive in large quantities in the market.
"What we are considering is to stop further rise in the prices of the food items in the local market," he said while explaining the government's efforts both within and beyond the budget of the current fiscal 2008-09.
The finance adviser said the much-awaited consumers' right protection act is expected to be finalised within a couple of months.
He said only 20 per cent of the recently harvested Boro rice has come to the market this season compared to a normal trend of 40 per cent in the previous years, which caused a lesser impact on the price situation.
He expressed the hope that the price would come down when adequate rice reaches the market.
Against the backdrop of high inflationary pressure and food prices, Mirza Aziz said, the government has widened its social safety-net programmes in the current budget aiming to eliminate sufferings of the ultra-poor.
He sought cooperation from all in the society in implementing the government plans to mitigate the sufferings of the poor due to the price hike, fueled by a number of natural disasters last year.
"Implementation of the programmes is not possible without cooperation of all. It deserves public-private coordinated initiatives," he said, urging the business community to help the government execute the plans.
Kholiquzzaman Ahmed said: "The people are in serious problem caused by skyrocketing prices of the essential commodities. The situation must be understood by all sections of the society and act accordingly from their individual position to check the unusual price rise."
"But, the government will have to take the lead role to do so," he said.
DCCI president Hossain Khaled termed the unusual price hike as a silent Tsunami and said we should control the prices by any means to ensure food security for all.
Professor of University of New Orleans, USA Dr. M Kabir Hossain and research fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue Dr. Uttam Dev also spoke among others at the seminar.
"The policy guidelines to this effect have almost been finalised. We will send the final guidelines to the implementing ministries within 2-3 days," he said at a seminar in the city.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) in collaboration with the Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) and Oxfam International organised the seminar titled "Price-hike and Poverty Alleviation: Budget 2008-09" at the DCCI auditorium in the city.
Businessmen, economists, academicians and others were present at the seminar, with DCCI president Hossain Khaled in the chair. President of BEA Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad moderated the discussion.
Following the high inflationary pressure and low employment opportunities for the poor, the government in the current year's budget allocated Tk 20 billion for an employment guarantee scheme under which the poor and the ultra-poor would be provided jobs for a period of 100 days, especially during the lean season.
Under this programme, job opportunities will be created for 2.0 million unemployed poor.
Mirza Aziz at the seminar said prices of food especially rice have not come down until date as the Boro crop is yet to arrive in large quantities in the market.
"What we are considering is to stop further rise in the prices of the food items in the local market," he said while explaining the government's efforts both within and beyond the budget of the current fiscal 2008-09.
The finance adviser said the much-awaited consumers' right protection act is expected to be finalised within a couple of months.
He said only 20 per cent of the recently harvested Boro rice has come to the market this season compared to a normal trend of 40 per cent in the previous years, which caused a lesser impact on the price situation.
He expressed the hope that the price would come down when adequate rice reaches the market.
Against the backdrop of high inflationary pressure and food prices, Mirza Aziz said, the government has widened its social safety-net programmes in the current budget aiming to eliminate sufferings of the ultra-poor.
He sought cooperation from all in the society in implementing the government plans to mitigate the sufferings of the poor due to the price hike, fueled by a number of natural disasters last year.
"Implementation of the programmes is not possible without cooperation of all. It deserves public-private coordinated initiatives," he said, urging the business community to help the government execute the plans.
Kholiquzzaman Ahmed said: "The people are in serious problem caused by skyrocketing prices of the essential commodities. The situation must be understood by all sections of the society and act accordingly from their individual position to check the unusual price rise."
"But, the government will have to take the lead role to do so," he said.
DCCI president Hossain Khaled termed the unusual price hike as a silent Tsunami and said we should control the prices by any means to ensure food security for all.
Professor of University of New Orleans, USA Dr. M Kabir Hossain and research fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue Dr. Uttam Dev also spoke among others at the seminar.