Small retailers blame syndicates for price hike, adulteration

Retailers in the capital’s kitchen markets alleged on Wednesday that a few syndicates comprised of local muscleman and wholesalers were involved in price manipulation and adulteration during Ramadan to make super profits.
They did not elaborate and cite names but asked for steps against those syndicates—mostly affiliated with political parties—to keep the prices low.
The retailers also urged the mayor of the south Dhaka city to take actions against illegal kitchen markets erected on city roads, disrupting traffic movements.
They complained that no any city corporation officer regularly visits the markets and updates the price list.
The shopkeepers of essential goods from across 13 kitchen markets under Dhaka South City Corporation made the appeals to the mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon during a views exchange meeting on controlling prices during Ramadan, held at the Nagar Bhaban.
The Dhaka south city mayor said they would take action against the illegal market operators and any syndicates found artificially creating crisis in the markets.
‘We will control prices by any means,’ Khokon said.
The mayor also asked the retailers to follow the price chart prepared by the city corporation, not to cheat customers by manipulating scale and sell chemical-free goods.
He warned of legal measures against the businessmen who would not comply.
‘A team of DSCC will monitor the market independently amid surveillance by other government agencies,’ he said adding that six teams of commerce ministry would monitor the markets.
Khokon said there is no possibility of price hikes as supplies were adequate.
Doyaganj kitchen market committee president Md Abdul Malek said the city corporation officials hardly visit the markets and update the price board.
‘We are captivated by the importers and the wholesalers,’ Malek said. He cited an example and said manufacturers sell a 5-litre soybean oil container at lower than Tk 420 to Agora and Swapna chain stores, whereas, the small retailers are paying Tk 440 for the same container.
The mayor also warned officials of taking actions if they do not monitor prices.
The chief executive officer of the DSCC, Khan Mohammad Bilal, said that the city corporation was committed to ensure fair prices of the essentials, make sure goods are pure and scales are perfect to protect the interest of city residents.
Senior city corporation officials and market committee heads were present in the meeting.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net