Keeping a tab on the working of the market place

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Considerable media focus is now on the possible machinations of some entrenched market manipulators geared to simulating price instability of essential commodities with an eye on high demand situation before the month of Ramadan. There are several reports from that point, indicating the possibility of syndicates controlling sugar, pulses and edible oil markets.
They can create artificial crisis of edible oil and pulses in particular, should the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) fail to import the items in sufficient quantities in good time to wield a neutralising power on the market place. The intelligence agencies will keep a tab on the working of the market forces to report to the commerce ministry thereon for their timely market intervention.
We only wish the move had been taken earlier, because not only are the syndicates wily lots they are also supposed to have a political clout which needs time to be worked off. After all, the exercise of political will, when the new government is in with renewed political pledges, should weigh with to keep the prices down anyhow to curry favour with the electorate. So, belated as the move certainly is, hopefully it would yield some positive results, for the ruling party's electoral prospect to improve.

Gopal Sengupta
Canada
_gopalsengupta@aol.com_