90 businesses fined Tk 9 lakh for hiking price
When the whole world is frantically trying to tackle the novel coronavirus, some unscrupulous traders are capitalising on the situation to earn a quick buck. As a result, prices of necessary commodities have risen in the last couple of days.
In such circumstances, authorities are carrying out drives at markets in different districts to stop this practice. Approximately 90 businesses were fined around Tk 9 lakh in the last two days.
In Dhaka, several drives were conducted at different areas by separate authorities yesterday and slapped fines amounting to around Tk 5.06 lakh.
At Mirpur-1 Kacha Bazar, two businesses were fined Tk 25,000 for failing to produce price list of products. During other drives, five traders were fined Tk 45,000 in the area.
At Wari, supermarket chains Shwapno and Big Bazar were fined Tk 10,000 each for hiking prices of onion and hand-gloves, respectively.
Three shops were fined a total of Tk 8,000 for failing to show price list at Kamrangirchar. Four shops were fined Tk 13,000 in total at Shantinagar.
At Dhamrai, eight people were fined Tk 1.66 lakh for hiking the price of rice. Two shops were fined Tk 13,000 at Baridhara Bazar for failing to show product price list.
During drives at Banasree, supermarket chains -- Shwapno, Meena Bazar and Daily Shopping -- Abbas Rice Agency and a poultry shop were fined a total of Tk 1.25 lakh.
At Karwan Bazar, nine traders were fined Tk 47,000 for hiking prices and not showing correct price list. Nine traders were fined Tk 44,000 for different reasons at Tejgaon Nakhalpara.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) of Dhaka Shafiqul Islam said the drives will continue until further notice. Dhaka Additional District Magistrate Kazi Nahid Rasul said the mobile courts are being properly supervised.
In Pabna, police and the district administration launched massive drives in key markets of the district yesterday and fined several traders for hiking prices.
Pabna Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kabir Mahamud and Pabna Superintendent of Police Md Rafiqul Islam visited rice markets in the morning and fined four large wholesale shops a total of Tk 1.25 lakh for hiking prices.
The monitoring team also visited several grocery shops at the city's Boro Bazar and warned shopkeepers to not hike prices of daily commodities.
Due to high demand and people stockpiling commodities, prices have rapidly increased. A bag of rice went for Tk 400 a few days ago, but is now being sold for Tk 500.
"There is no shortage of rice and other goods. Some traders are taking advantage of the predicament to earn extra profit, so market monitoring teams are trying to prevent them from doing so," said DC Kabir.
In Noakhali, mobile courts conducted drives at shops in several upazilas and slapped a total fine of Tk 2.78 lakh
The drives were conducted in six upazilas – Chatkhil, Companiganj, Senbagh, Subarnachar, Begumganj and Hatiya – on Friday from the morning till 10pm.
Kulsum Moni, assistant commissioner (land) and executive magistrate, said many traders were hiking prices of commodities in Chatkhil upazila, and on information, authorities started the drives. They fined eight shops Tk 32,000 in total.
In the district's Companiganj upazila, four businesses were fined Tk 13,000. Four shops were fined Tk 12,000 in Hatiya upazila. At Senbagh Pouro Bazar, two rice traders were fined Tk 9,000.
In Subarnachar upazila, drives were conducted at several markets throughout the day. A total of 18 businesses were fined Tk 1.07 lakh.
In Begumganj upazila, a mobile court fined Jagannath Rice Mill Tk 80,000 for hiking prices. Meanwhile, authorities seized 1800kg of onion from a storehouse at Choumuhani Bazar and sold them for Tk 30 per kg in the open market.
Noakhali DC Tonmoy Das said there is no shortage of commodities, and action will be taken against those who will create artificial shortage.