Winners of a Shadow Parliament debate competition pose with Planning Minister MA Mannan held on the FDC premises in the city on Saturday. Planning Minister MA Mannan called for expediting import-related decisions and other actions by the ministries of commerce, agriculture and fisheries and livestock to check the spiralling commodity prices.
The ongoing crackdown to rein in prices of essential commodities would have little impact unless the government implements a coordinated tripartite strategy bypassing the bureaucracy.
The minister made the comments at a Shadow Parliament debate competition held on the FDC premises in teh city on Saturday.
The Debate for Democracy (DfD) and the Directorate of National Consumers Rights Protection (DNCRP) organised the debate competition on the topic 'Willingness of the private sector can control agricultural product prices'.
DNCRP Director General AHM Shafiquzzaman attended the programme as special guest while DfD chairperson Hassan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron presided over the event.
The competition saw Eden College emerging victorious over Dhaka Medical College.
Speaking at the programme as the chief guest, Mannan refuted the allegation that market syndicate is behind the price hike, saying that 'there is no such group or organization'.
He, however, acknowledged the existence of temporary 'price fixing'.
Due to bureaucratic procedures, files get stuck to different desks of the government agencies, which delayed the decision-making, he added.
He underscored the need for strengthening the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) and maintaining adequate stockpiles of essential commodities to mitigate any crises.
Mr Mannan said there is a potential for a slight fluctuation in commodity prices during the upcoming election period, but it is manageable.
DfD Chairperson Kiron said that despite achieving self-sufficiency in grains and enhancing capacity for dairy, vegetables and spices, prices of these essential products were increasing abruptly.
He highlighted the plight of farmers who are forced to sell potatoes at Tk 10 per kilogram but are compelled to buy the same produce at Tk 40 to 50.
In a plea to address the manipulation of egg prices by corporate firms, Kiron expressed concerns that small and medium-sized farms could face financial ruin if such practices persist.
He also said inflation may go up if the ongoing crisis in the Middle East continues to impact fuel prices.
To address these issues, he placed a seven-point recommendation, including strengthening cooperative societies at the producer level, enhancing surveillance of supply chain management, curbing monopolies on fertiliser and pesticide distribution, and putting an end to extortion on roads.
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