Govt has no control over commodity market: BNP
It announces two-day prog on Shaheed Dibash
FE REPORT | Tuesday, 20 February 2024
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has alleged that the government has no control over the commodity market due to the ruling Awami League-backed syndicate.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the allegation at a press briefing at the party's central office in Naya Paltan of the capital on Monday.
"Awami League leaders have publicly admitted that the essential commodity market is being controlled by syndicates," he said.
Mr Rizvi also said consumers were suffering for the high prices of essential commodities while the government-backed people are living with huge money and luxury.
"The government-backed syndicates started becoming desperate to cut consumers' pockets even before the start of the upcoming holy month of Ramadan."
The BNP leader said the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on February 8, 2024 declared cuts in import duty on rice, edible oil, sugar and dates ahead of the fasting month.
But, even after the NBR's declaration on import duty cut, there was no any impact on the market rather the prices of some 10 essential items soared abruptly over the last 10 days.
Mr Rizvi further said that the prices of the four products were expecting to reduce to Tk 40 per kg.
At the wholesale level a kilogramme of sugar was selling at Tk 134 on Monday which was Tk 132 just one week ago, he maintained.
The BNP senior joint secretary general mentioned that at the retail level one kilogramme of sugar was selling between Tk 140 and Tk 145 while a kg of packed sugar at Tk 148 on Monday.
"The people have been suffering a lot due to the shortages of gas, water and power supplies."
BNP chairperson's advisory council members Jainul Abdin Farroque and Abul Khair Bhuiyan and party's assistant office secretary Md Munir Hossain were present, among others.
At the press conference, Rizvi said BNP has announced a two-day programme to observe the Shaheed Dibash and International Mother Language Day with due respect tomorrow ( February 21), reports UNB.
As part of the programmes, Rizvi said his party will hold a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh today (Tuesday), marking the day.