Traders were found selling essential commodities at a higher price than the price fixed by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), the country’s apex trade body, after a six day drive by the commerce ministry in the capital’s kitchen markets.
With 14 teams, the ministry found traders selling edible oil, lentil, grams, sugar, and dates at a higher price in the first week of Ramadan.
Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed said: “We will take stern action against unscrupulous traders who do not comply with the directives of the business communities. The media also has to play a key role to keep prices of essentials stable during the holy month of Ramadan.”
According to the market monitoring committee, edible oil was being sold at Tk 133-135/liter instead of Tk 127/ liter, fixed by the FBCCI. Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) fixed the rate for edible oil at Tk124/kg.
Canadian Lentil was being sold at Tk 80- Tk100/kg instead of Tk75-85, fixed by FBCCI.
Dates were being sold at Tk100 and above, where the FBCCI fixed rate is at Tk75-85 while sugar was being sold at Tk 46-48/Kg where the FBCCI fixed rate is Tk 45/kg.
The committee fined and took legal action against the traders who were found to practice such anomalies, as per instruction from the Commerce Ministry.
No anomaly was found regarding price of Indian onion, in the report submitted by CM.
However, reports claim that traders are charging much higher prices than import costs. A kilogram of onions imported from India costs Tk35 but retailers sell it at Tk45. The reports also suggest that the price of Indian onions should not be fixed above Tk40 per kg.
According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh the price of imported onion has increased 50 percent during last month, from Tk26/kg to Tk43/kg, while local onion is sold at Tk 48/kg.
