Govt, wholesalers blamed for unusual price hike
Friday, 28 August 2009
FE Report
Fishmongers and kitchen market retail traders Thursday blamed government measures and corrupt practices of wholesalers for the unusual price increase of essential commodities in the city markets.
"The government has failed to keep control on commodity prices as they trusted wholesalers instead of the retailers," leaders of Dhaka Metropolitan Small Fish and Kitchen Market Traders Association said at a press conference.
"We are an association of 45,000 retail fish and kitchen market retailers," said association president Anwar Hossain Sikdar and added Commerce Minister Faruk Khan not only ignored their recommendations for effective market monitoring but blamed them for the unusual price hike.
"Wholesalers actually manipulate the market and make hefty profit as they did at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan," Mr Anwar said.
The minister held meetings with the wholesalers and trusted their promises, he added.
He urged the government to change its attitude towards the small traders and fulfill their logical demands.
"If the government fails to meet our demands, we will go for agitation programme from September 03," he added.
General Secretary of the association AKM Moniruzzaman Monir was also present at the press conference.
Fishmongers and kitchen market retail traders Thursday blamed government measures and corrupt practices of wholesalers for the unusual price increase of essential commodities in the city markets.
"The government has failed to keep control on commodity prices as they trusted wholesalers instead of the retailers," leaders of Dhaka Metropolitan Small Fish and Kitchen Market Traders Association said at a press conference.
"We are an association of 45,000 retail fish and kitchen market retailers," said association president Anwar Hossain Sikdar and added Commerce Minister Faruk Khan not only ignored their recommendations for effective market monitoring but blamed them for the unusual price hike.
"Wholesalers actually manipulate the market and make hefty profit as they did at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan," Mr Anwar said.
The minister held meetings with the wholesalers and trusted their promises, he added.
He urged the government to change its attitude towards the small traders and fulfill their logical demands.
"If the government fails to meet our demands, we will go for agitation programme from September 03," he added.
General Secretary of the association AKM Moniruzzaman Monir was also present at the press conference.