Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has stated that the market situation is satisfactory and that positive changes in market management will be seen very soon.
He said, “We have come to monitor the market. We have come to see whether products are being sold at the prices they should be.”
He made these remarks to journalists after an unscheduled inspection of the Mohammadpur Town Hall kitchen market on Monday afternoon.
Abdul Muktadir said, “There is an adequate supply of products in the market. Positive changes in market management will come very soon. Some people are trying to take advantage of the month of Ramadan. The law will take its own course against those involved in price-hike manipulation.”
The minister further stated, “Various plans have been taken to make the market completely normal and comfortable for buyers. However, implementing them will take some time. I seek the full cooperation of media personnel in this task. If everyone cooperates, we will be able to provide relief to the people.”
During the inspection, the minister visited various shops and personally checked product prices. Noting that monitoring the entire Dhaka city simultaneously is administratively challenging, he said, “It is practically not possible to send government teams to every market in a large city like Dhaka at the same time. However, 10 teams from the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection are working regularly. Our goal is to create awareness among businessmen that they are under constant surveillance.”
In response to a question about whether the market is held hostage by a handful of syndicates, the minister said the government is keeping a sharp eye on the matter to ensure the market is not controlled by a few individuals, and positive changes in market management will be seen very soon.
Reminding businessmen of the spirit of worship and ethics surrounding the upcoming Ramadan, the minister made a special request. He said, “With the month of Ramadan ahead, please do not charge extra prices from buyers. Do not increase people’s suffering during this holy time.” He urged businessmen to abandon greed for excessive profits and stand by ordinary people.
He said, “Despite adequate supply in the market, it is unacceptable that a product costing Tk40-50 before Ramadan suddenly jumps to Tk120. This is not pleasant for anyone. We are vigilant to ensure the market does not fall into the hands of specific individuals. Bringing about qualitative change through effective measures will take some time; I hope the people will give us that time.”
He stated, “As officials of the Ministry of Commerce, our job is to keep the market for imported products stable. The products we bring in to support and balance the market through TCB are sufficiently stable; in fact, the prices of some products are Tk15 to Tk20 lower than last year. This is not just my words; statistics confirm it,” he added.
Regarding a recent incident where a businessman and his associates attacked and threatened the chief of the Dhaka district office of the National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate, Abdul Jabbar Mandal, the minister informed that a case has already been filed in this matter and the law is taking its own course.
State Minister Md Shariful Alam, Commerce Ministry Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, Director General of the National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate Faruk Ahmed, and Commerce Ministry Additional Secretary (IIT Cell) Shibir Bichitra Barua were present at the time.
Later, the commerce Mminister visited the country’s largest wholesale kitchen market, Karwan Bazar. There, he inquired about the market situation from buyers and sellers.
