Adviser for the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan has said the government will maintain its firm stance on breaking syndicates and launch alternative agricultural markets to curb the influence of market syndicates.
He made these statements during the inauguration ceremony of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh’s (TCB) mobile truck sales operation (in 50 locations across Dhaka) at Dipika Mor in the Begunbari area of the capital on Thursday.
The adviser said syndicates and middlemen are the cause of price hikes. "As a result, the government is prioritizing all possible measures to dismantle these syndicates in the long term. The government's task force is already working from large cities to the local level."
He emphasized the need to reduce the role of middlemen between producers or farmers and consumers, adding that private institutions engaging in social business models to deliver goods directly from entrepreneurs to consumers will receive maximum support from the government.
As part of the government's long-term plan to curb price hikes, alternative agricultural markets are being considered, where farmers can directly deliver their products, allowing consumers to purchase them.
Notably, from Thursday onwards, the TCB will operate its mobile truck sales in 50 locations in Dhaka and 20 locations in Chittagong. Alongside family cardholders, individuals without cards will now also be able to purchase goods from the TCB's open trucks.
The notification further stated that consumers will be able to purchase 5kg of rice, 2kg of lentils, and 2 litres of soybean oil, for Tk470, by standing in line at designated TCB truck points.
This operation will run from October 24 to November 30. However, if inflation is not contained within a tolerable range, the operation may be extended.
