Govt ups market monitoring to control prices of essentials

The government has raised market monitoring to keep prices of essential commodities stable during the holy month of Ramadan amid the Covid-19 lockdown.
 
Additional secretary of the commerce ministry, AHM Safiquzzaman, visited the Kawran Bazar and Banasree kitchen markets on Saturday to check the price of essentials and also inspected the truck sale program of the Trading Corporation Of Bangladesh (TCB). 
 
Manzur Mohammad Shahriar, Deputy Director, Dhaka Division, National Consumer Rights Protection Department, was present at the time.
 
The additional secretary called upon traders to keep supply stocks adequate in the market and the prices of daily commodities at a reasonable level.  However, some traders were fined for not having vouchers and charging high prices.
 
He also urged them to sell their products in an orderly manner following hygiene rules.
 
The additional secretary also urged consumers to buy TCB's fair-priced goods in compliance with hygiene rules.
 
Inspecting the markets, Safiquzzaman said, "Our teams are regularly inspecting markets in Dhaka. Many traders have raised the price of daily commodities in Ramadan and the lockdown. We are monitoring this so that no one can hike prices unnecessarily."
 
"Additionally, we are monitoring whether the products are being sold in the wholesale markets as per their purchase price to keep prices normal," he said. 
 
He further said," We have fined four shops Tk13,000 in Kawran Bazar. Now we are making traders aware and cautious. The ones we fined are symbolic." 
 
During the inspection, the team monitored whether edible oil, rice, onion, gram, sugar, dates and other daily necessities are being sold at reasonable prices. 
 
They are monitoring whether anyone is cheating customers, including noting discrepancies in sales receipts, purchase prices, and weight manipulation.