Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi came under fire from the opposition lawmakers in the Jatiyo Sangsad (JS) over the government's 'failure' in controlling skyrocketing prices of essentials in the market.
Lambasting the minister's 'ineffectiveness' to cool down the commodity market in the month of Ramadan, the parliamentarians from BNP, Jatiya Party and Gono Forum blamed the government for patronising various types of syndicates to snatch away money from common people in the form of raising prices of essentials.
As the minister himself is a businessman, his loyalty is towards the business community instead of the common people, they also alleged.
During the debate on a proposed act titled 'The Trade Organisation Bill, 2022,' Gonoforum lawmaker Mukabbir Khan said the commerce minister became successful as a businessman, but not as a minister.
He said the proposed bill would serve the interest of so-called syndicates, not the interest of common people.
"The government has no control over the commodity market, which is captured by the syndicates."
"People of the middle-income class are now moving towards the TCB trucks for getting subsidised essentials. But the minister is giving us funny logics instead of admitting his failure," he added.
Criticising the bill, Jatiya Party lawmaker Firoz Rashid said the syndicates keep sending their people to banks, capital market and other entities in the form of independent director to serve the interest of the unscrupulous group of people.
"Why have the beef prices gone up remarkably just before the Ramadan? It has no relation with the international market. It needs to be stopped strictly. Otherwise, things will not improve," he noted.
BNP parliamentarian Rumeen Farhana said the government completely failed to control the commodity market, because it is the government who runs the syndicates.
The oil traders amassed more than Tk 10 billion in 15 days during the recent fuel hike, she mentioned.
Another Jatiya Party lawmaker Pir Fazlur Rahman pointed his finger at the commerce minister for 'failing to curb inflation'.
"I believe he (Tipu Munshi) is an honest person. Then why has he failed to regulate market prices (of essentials) while being a businessman himself?"
"The minister has to admit the facts in front of him. He has failed to stop the cartels, and now we are experiencing inflation."
Mujibul Haque of Jatiya Party called for various market regulatory measures, such as - strict vigilance and subsidies, in order to check hike in commodities' prices.
"A syndicate cannot hike prices on its own, unless some people within the administration support the move."
He also said the business community often blames the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war for the recent price hike, which has logic in terms of imported goods.
"But then why did the prices of the goods, imported before the war as well as produced locally, rise as well?"
Responding to the criticism, the commerce minister said he never said edible oil prices went up because of the ongoing war in Europe. The prices were adjusted upward here because of their price hike in the international market.
"The government does not control business anywhere. It facilitates business. There is no reason to think that the government runs syndicates."
Tipu Munshi noted that the government is trying its best to keep the prices of essentials under people's purchasing capability.
The Trade Organisation Bill, 2022 - aimed at allowing foreign traders to form joint trade-bodies in Bangladesh - was passed unanimously in the JS on Tuesday.
Piloting the bill, the commerce minister said the proposed act would replace the Trade Organisations Ordinance, 1961.
"The act will ensure representation of people from the government and also from the trade organisations," he added.
Some legal provisions have been included for women entrepreneurs in trade organisations through licensing, the law stated.
A provision has been made for inter-country joint chambers of commerce and industry as well as a chamber of commerce and industry alliance. Foreign traders will be able to form joint chambers.
UNB adds: Field level police have been instructed not to stop or impede vehicles carrying goods on the highways or roads without any specific complaint or information.
The instruction was given to field level police officers during a virtual meeting on monthly crime review for the month of February, 2022 held at the police headquarters on Tuesday, with Additional IG (Crime and Operations) M Khurshid Hossain in the chair.
The meeting was attended by all the Metropolitan Commissioners, Range DIGs and District Police Superintendents.
Saying that Police are in a tough position to curb extortion during the holy month of Ramadan and the upcoming Eid, Additional IG M Khurshid Hossain said that "no vehicle carrying goods on the highway or road can be stopped without any specific complaint or information."
During the meeting, Additional IG M Khurshid Hossain also said that security of shopping malls and markets have to be strengthened with a focus on Ramadan and Eid.
He emphasized on strengthening traffic management to keep the traffic flowing normally.
The meeting emphasized bringing the police service to the doorsteps of the people by making the beat policing activities more dynamic.
At the meeting, AIG (Crime East) Md. Jalal Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury highlighted the overall crime situation for the month of February ,2022.
The meeting was informed that cases related to robbery, murder, speedy trial, riot, kidnapping, police assault, burglary and theft decreased in February, 2022 as compared to January , 2022.
However, the number of cases of repression on women and children increased in February, 2022 as compared to January, 2022.
On the other hand, women and child repression related cases are much less than in February, 2021.
Besides, the number of recovered related cases has increased in February, 2022 as compared to January, 2022.
It was mentioned in the meeting that the number of cases has decreased in the month of February 2022 as compared to the previous month of January, 2022.
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