No scope for chaos in edible oil market: Adviser Bashir
Mill owners, DO traders, or both may be involved in destabilising the oil market
No one will be allowed to create chaos in the edible oil market, Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin said today (11 November).
Addressing a meeting with edible oil delivery order (DO) traders at the Secretariat this afternoon, he said strict action will be taken against those responsible for market irregularities.
The commerce adviser also said all necessary measures will be taken to protect consumer rights in the market. "We will not consider whether those measures go for or against anyone," he added.
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He further noted that drives to control the edible oil market often target retail or mid-level sellers, which makes those efforts ineffective.
"Any market operation must cover all levels of the supply chain, from production or import to DO traders, wholesalers, and retailers. Mill owners, DO traders, or both may be involved in destabilising the oil market," he said.
"A small shopkeeper hiding 500 bottles of oil under his bed cannot destabilise the market. On television, we see dramatic footage of oil being recovered, and people across the country applaud. But in reality, nothing changes. It is portrayed as though the grocer is solely to blame, while the real culprits remain untouched. We want to identify those truly responsible," he added.
During the meeting, edible oil DO traders complained that they were not receiving timely deliveries from mill owners and demanded a resolution to this issue.
