Staff Correspondent

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

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

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

Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan, CAB general secretary, Ruhin Hossain Prince, general secretary of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Mohiuddin Ahmed, convener of Bangladesh Sadharan Nagorik Somaj and CAB members joined the programme. Expressing concern over the abnormal rise in prices of daily essentials, Ruhin Hossain, said, "The government is talking about reforms in many areas, but not thinking about reform in 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 fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, electricity, and water must be reduced to ensure uninterrupted production.

Expressing solidarity with the CAB demand, Mohiuddin Ahmed, said “The instability in the market continues because no action has been taken against those had 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 are 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.

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

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