Opposition Quader Urges Govt to Control Prices of Essentials Goods

GM Quader, deputy leader of the opposition in the parliament, urged the government to take proper initiatives to control the prices of essential commodities.

“The prices of all commodities are on the rise . . . There is no control,” he told the parliament, taking part in the discussion on the proposed budget for FY2021-22 Tuesday noon. 

Quader, also the Jatiya Party (JaPa) chairman, urged the concerned authorities of the government to arrest the price hike to ensure comfortable and easy living for citizens at the time of pandemic Covid-19 that badly affected the lifestyle countrywide, reports BSS.

He was very critical of corruption in the health sector, saying that the government must bring the corrupt individuals under legal action to ensure the proper healthcare for common people.

Alleged widespread corruption in the health sector has tarnished the image of the incumbent government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Quader observed.

On the vaccination issue, the opposition leader told the House that the government must take necessary steps so that Bangladesh can produce world-standard vaccine doses for the people.

“There was a major headway on producing vaccine in Bangladesh…But what happened that all initiatives came to a halt?” he questioned in the parliament, where Sheikh Hasina, leader of the House was present.

Noting that the proposed budgetary allocation Tk32,731 crore for the health sector is obviously an insufficient amount, Quader said this allocation for the health sector should be increased to nearly 5% of the main amount of the budget as per the suggestion of the World Bank (WB).

On the tax for importing medical equipment for hospitals and other medical centers, the JaPa leader suggested the government to exempt duty in this field that would help to provide treatment facilities to the people at low cost.

Terming the budget as the political philosophy of the government, he underscored the need for increasing the allocation in the health sector and social safety net for the betterment of the masses.

“If it is needed, the comparatively less important projects can be suspended for a certain period and those amounts could be used in the social safety net and health sectors in the changed situation of the country during the pandemic coronavirus that made many people jobless and helpless as well,” GM Quader suggested.

He called the proposed allocation in agriculture time-befitting and put emphasis on taking a pragmatic step as well as special care so that the country’s farmers can get actual prices of the agricultural produces.

Earlier Jatiya Party (JP-Manju) Chairman Anwar Hossain Manju took part in the budget discussion, lauding the tremendous development of the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“Bangladesh has immensely improved the living standard of people…Even those who are blind will also understand that the country has improved a lot,” he told the House with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

Manju termed the proposed budget timely, development-oriented, and pro-people.