The Students Against Discrimination movement has issued a one-week ultimatum to all departments under the Ministry of Commerce to bring prices within the public's purchasing power.
The ultimatum was delivered during a meeting on Sunday at the head office of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection in Kawran Bazar, Dhaka.
The meeting aimed to coordinate efforts between students of the movement and authorities to monitor the market and raise awareness.
The movement also called for the resignation of officials if they failed to implement necessary measures within the one-week timeframe.
During the meeting, Md Bin Yamin Mollah, a key coordinator of the movement, presented several recommendations to control market conditions.
They are: forming “revolutionary student-general public” teams to monitor markets across cities, districts and neighbourhoods (but they will not be allowed to impose fines or take the law into their own hands); organizing discussions between students and the directorate at the district and upazila levels; ensuring every seller maintains purchase receipts for essential items; displaying price lists in every shop; evicting anyone occupying markets, streets or shops illegally; preventing extortion on the streets; increasing manpower in the directorate; and eliminating corruption and nepotism.
AHM Shafiquzzaman, director general of the DNCRP, who presided over the meeting, told students that their influence had grown so strong that he believed wherever they focused, success would follow.
“We have truly failed, and now we are dreaming [of a better future] with you.”
The discussion was attended, among others, by other DNCRP officials, the organizing secretary of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh and students from various universities.
