Tipu Urges Businessmen to Sell Essential Items at Proper Price

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Sunday called upon the businessmen to sell essential items at a proper price, reports BSS.

He also cautioned that each retail shop should have the price list on display, otherwise stern legal action would be taken against them.

The commerce minister also directed the National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate to beef up their vigilance to ensure hanging the pricelists in each and every shop.

Tipu made the remarks during his visit to the Kawranbazar Kitchen market after meeting the leaders of the Kawranbazar Babosayi Somittee.

"Except for some shops, I have seen price lists at most of the shops in Kawranbazar. It's my directive that if the price lists are not available at the shops, then steps will be taken.”

“Yesterday (Saturday), the business leaders have assured us that the price of essentials won't rise. They (FBCCI) have formed a committee of 46 members and they will monitor some 46 products," he said.

Mentioning that there is no dearth of essential items in the market, Tipu said the stock of each and every product is higher than the demand while the supply of items like edible oil, lentil, sugar and spices remained stable.

He said that after the VAT rate has been reduced on the import of edible oil, some 80,000 to 90,000 tonnes of edible oil have been imported from abroad.

"There is no crisis as the stock is higher than the demand. It's my directive to the National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate, if anyone tries to cheat people during this time of Ramadan or sell products at higher prices, then none will be spared," he cautioned.

The commerce minister mentioned that the common people are now getting the benefits of reduction of tax and VAT on essential items adding that a task force has already been formed to monitor the market situation and they are working with due importance.

Answering a question, he said the wholesale market is under control, but in the retail level, there might be some differences due to the transportation costs.

"If the prices at the wholesale level remained stable, then I think the price may increase by Taka 1 or 2 in the remote areas," he said.

Tipu informed that through the truck sales of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), about one crore families are being benefited, of which 85 lakh families are in the rural areas.

He said that considering each family has five members on average, then some five crore people are being benefitted from such an initiative, and all credit goes to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Tipu said that around the middle of this month, the products from the TCB will be distributed again, and the PM has urged the recipients to preserve the cards of the TCB.

Replying to another question, the commerce minister urged all to inform him in case of any incident of extortion in the transportation and supply chain of goods.

"Necessary action will be taken if there is any incident of extortion. A meeting will be held with the home minister soon following the allegations of extortion raised by the business community."

Citing that the price of fruits has increased to some extent centring the month of Ramadan, the commerce minister said that they would beef up their vigilance so that none could increase the price in an illegal way.

Commerce Ministry Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh and Director General of the National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate AHM Shafiquzzaman were present, among others, on the occasion.