The Ministry of Commerce has started advance preparations to provide relief to the common people in the upcoming Ramadan. With the arrival of Ramadan, the demand for daily necessities increases compared to normal times. In particular, the demand for six products is highest during this time. Every year, a class of unscrupulous traders and syndicates create artificial crises and increase the prices of these products, as a result of which fasting people face additional pressure. Keeping that in mind, the Ministry of Commerce has been alerted in advance this time. The Ministry of Commerce has taken the initiative to build adequate stocks of products whose demand increases during Ramadan. In addition, the activity of a class of syndicates can be seen ahead of Ramadan. For this, the Ministry of Commerce has taken the initiative to further strengthen market monitoring. Ministry of Commerce sources said that maximum vigilance will be maintained to keep the prices of daily necessities stable in the upcoming Ramadan.
On the other hand, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) wants to buy 12,500 tons of chickpeas and 3,300 tons of dates through an international tender for the upcoming Ramadan. TCB Chairman Brigadier General Mohammad Faisal Azad recently sent a letter to the Commerce Secretary in this regard. According to sources in the Commerce Ministry.
It is learned that on the occasion of the upcoming Ramadan, TCB will sell edible oil, sugar, lentils, chickpeas and dates at subsidized prices to one crore low-income families. Currently, TCB has 72 lakh 84 thousand 648 active cards. 85 lakh are expected to be activated in phases in the upcoming month of Ramadan. TCB will sell one kilogram of chickpeas to these card-holding families and one kilogram of dates to the potential 13 lakh active card-holding families of 13 city corporations. In addition, one kilogram of open and half kilogram dates will be sold to 4 million beneficiaries through truck sales under the direction of the Commerce Minister.
Incidentally, Ramadan is scheduled to begin in the first week of February next year.
Experts say that every year before Ramadan, some unscrupulous traders create artificial crises and destabilize the market. Even though the country has sufficient stocks of goods, prices start rising as soon as Ramadan arrives, and consumers suffer. Although some public campaigns were conducted later, no strict action was taken against the culprits. As a result, this syndicate has been continuing its misdeeds year after year without any hindrance. They have demanded effective monitoring in advance and exemplary punishment if irregularities are found, so that the same scenario does not happen again this time.
Commerce Secretary Ataur Rahman Khan NDC told Amar Desh, “Preparations are being made in advance to ensure that there is no supply crisis in the country for Ramadan products. We are making preparations in advance so that people can observe the fast of Ramadan comfortably and celebrate Eid in the coming Ramadan. I hope there will be no crisis.”
It is learned that the fasting month is likely to start on February 7 or 8 next year. According to statistics, the annual demand for edible oil in the country is about 2.5 million tons, of which the demand is about 300,000 tons during the month of Ramadan. Five hundred thousand tons have been produced locally. The annual demand for lentils is about 700,000 tons, of which 80,000 tons are needed during Ramadan. In the meantime, local production is about 150,000 tons. The annual demand for sugar is 200,000-210,000 tons. About 300,000 tons are needed during Ramadan. The annual demand for chickpeas is a maximum of 200,000 tons, of which a large part is needed during Ramadan. The annual demand for dates is 90,000 to 110,000 tons. 60 to 80,000 tons are needed during Ramadan.
SM Nazer Hossain, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), told Amar Desh that the government may say, like every time, ‘There will be no shortage of daily necessities during Ramadan’. But the big question now is how much consumers will be convinced by the government’s assurance. Because, if all the government’s preparations are in the same traditional way, then the field level may say ‘everything is fine’, while in the meantime, big corporate groups and importers will create an artificial crisis and empty the pockets of the common people. And the field-level administration and commerce ministry will play the role of silent spectators.
He further said, “We from the CAB have been repeatedly saying that strict supervision must be ensured regarding imports and demand. Any obstacles to the supply of imported and stockpiled goods throughout the country must be strictly suppressed. At the same time, accurate information on imports, stockpiling and distribution must be monitored and the issue of demand and supply must be kept under constant surveillance.”
