Ramadan Market
TCB to intervene thru 3,000 dealers
Essential food items at prices cheaper than those in the market would be sold throughout the country before and during the holy month of Ramadan through 3,000 dealers of TCB, commerce minister Tofail Ahmed said on Wednesday. The items are—lentil, edible oil, peas, dates and onions. ‘We are committed to protect the consumers belonging to lower and middle classes against the profiteering attitudes of some traders,’ Tofail told reporters after a meeting of the board of directors of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
He said initiatives have been taken to enhance the food storage capacity of the corporation from the current level of 43,000 metric tonnes to 1,20,000 metric tonnes to help the TCB to intervene commodity market effectively at times of needs.
The commerce minister said the government was not interested to do business, but it would never hesitate to intervene the market to control prices of the food items.
The government will always remain alert against any sort of hoarding, particularly during the month of Ramadan, Tofail said, urging the businessmen to pursue their business with utmost honesty.
He said the capacity of state-trading agency would be enhanced so that it could effectively curb rising prices of essential commodities.
The meeting, according to sources, decided to seek Tk 200 crore from the finance ministry to enable the TCB to import food items ahead of Ramadan.
Talking about the ongoing inspection of garment factories by foreign engineers commissioned by European apparel brands, Tofail said Bangladesh had efficient engineers to oversee the state of factory buildings.
‘There is a conspiracy being hatched by certain groups against the interest of Bangladesh and its export-oriented clothing sector,’ the minister said.
Commerce secretary, TCB chairman and senior TCB officials, among others, attended the meeting held at the commerce ministry.
-With New Age input
