‘Govt syndicate’ behind price hike

BNP yesterday alleged that people are going through immense sufferings as a "government-backed syndicate" is hiking the prices of daily essentials for lack of market monitoring.

"The prices of daily essentials keep soaring at a time when people are struggling to make ends meet due to the fallout of the Covid-19. The prices of everything, including rice, pulses, oil, sugar and onion, are skyrocketing. But there's no remedy," said party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan central office, he said it seems a syndicate has established its dominance on the market under the patronage of the government and administration.

"The price hike of essentials has made public life miserable, but the Awami League leaders are indulging in luxury," he alleged. 

The BNP leader said the middle- and lower-income people are struggling to cope with the growing price hike of all commodities. "Maintaining families have now become unbearable for them, but the government is indifferent to their sufferings."

He also said the middlemen who are benefiting from the price hike are all involved with Awami League or its associate bodies. "The government has no surveillance in the market as its main focus is on indulging in plundering."

Rizvi alleged that the commerce and food ministers themselves are businessmen and they have a link with the syndicate that is controlling the market and pushing up the prices of the essentials.

Although AL promised to give people per kg of rice at Tk 10, Rizvi said the rice price in Bangladesh is the highest in Asia now.

Alongside rice, the BNP leader said the prices of onions and edible oil are soaring, but the commerce minister, a big businessman of the country, remains silent over the matter.

Rizvi also said the price of hilsa is very high this year as the government sent the national fish to India depriving the people of the country.

Apart from commodity prices, he said the tariffs of gas, electricity and water have also been increased. "The price of LPG was raised yesterday (Sunday). A profiteering and hoarding syndicate of Awami League is behind the rise in LPG price."