CAB demands exemplary punishment of unscrupulous traders

The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), a platform for consumer rights protection, on Monday formed a human chain in the capital to protest the price hike of essentials and placed an 8-point demand, including one to ensure exemplary punishment for unscrupulous traders.

The human chain was held in front of the Jatiya Press Club around 11:00 am.

The other demands included ensuring the supply of daily essentials, increasing market monitoring, increasing the sale of TCB products through trucks, taking stern action against those involved in selling edible oil in the open market, forming a separate department or consumers ministry under the Commerce Ministry, increasing the number of TCB cardholders to 15 million (1.50 crore) from the existing one crore, and ensuring strict punishment for sellers of edible oil in the open market, which is prohibited by law.

Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan, CAB general secretary; Ruhin Hossain Prince, general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB); Mohiuddin Ahmed, convener of Bangladesh Sadharan Nagorik Somaj; and other CAB members joined the program.

Expressing concern over the abnormal rise in the prices of daily essentials, Ruhin Hossain said, "The government is talking about reforms in many areas, but not about reforming the market system. It will be impossible to control the prices of goods without reforming the market system."

He also said that the costs for fertilisers, seeds, pesticides, electricity, and water must be reduced to ensure uninterrupted production.

Expressing solidarity with CAB's demands, Mohiuddin Ahmed said, "The instability in the market continues because no action has been taken against those who earned extra profit through syndicates during the previous government. Unless action is taken against these so-called syndicates, market discipline will not be restored."

Meanwhile, Humayun Kabir said, "Even during the peak season, the prices of potatoes and onions remain high. Despite the ban on the sale of open edible oil, it is still available in the market. The government has no control over this. There are laws regarding this, but they are not being enforced, causing market instability."

He also urged the government to form a Market Control Commission, and CAB will provide full cooperation to restore consumer comfort.

Additionally, the speakers said that although farmers are selling new potatoes at lower prices, the price of those kept in cold storage remains high.

Despite the ample supply of winter vegetables in the local market, the prices have started to fall, but consumers are not benefiting from these price reductions due to the syndicates in the market, they alleged.