Dhaka //

Trade Advisor Sheikh Bashiruddin is buying and eating raw soybean oil from the market. He said, “My family has been buying and eating raw soybean oil from the market for a month. Because, the quality of raw and bottled soybeans is the same. The only difference is the price.” Besides, there will be no problem of product shortage on the occasion of Ramadan

He said this as the chief guest at a policy conclave titled ‘Reasonable Price of Food Products: Searching for Market Supervision Strategies’ at a local hotel in Dhaka on Sunday afternoon.

Sheikh Bashiruddin said, the country has sufficient import system and stock. InshaAllah, there will be no problem on the occasion of Ramadan. There is no shortage of oil, sugar, chickpeas and dates in the market.

The Trade Advisor said, the prices of various products that we see in the international market should decrease in the domestic market. I do not see any reason for the price increase.

Noting that there was a lot of discussion today about what the reasonable price of food products could be, the Trade Advisor said that short and long-term plans will be made on how to turn these into action.

He also expressed the opinion that policies need to be formulated to provide real help to consumers.

Sheikh Bashiruddin, mentioning that there is a Competition Commission to ensure proper market practices, there is a Department of Consumer Rights Protection, and there is a TCB to increase the business scope, said that above all, the Tariff Commission and the NBR are working to make the market bearable for the consumer.

At this time, he called on local producers, importers and traders to make the market competitive.

He said that 5-6 lakh tons of rice bran oil used to go to India every year. Rice bran oil is very good for health. We have made its export difficult. A 25 percent regulatory tax has already been imposed. When this oil comes into the market, the oil market will be more stable than the current one. There is no difference between bottled oil and open oil, the only difference is the price, the advisor said.

The advisor said that the government is taking the initiative to make the Competition Commission independent to ensure competition in the market. He said, our policies have been made for the benefit of the rich class, not for the common people. There has been no major investment in the country in the last 15 years, as a result, employment has not increased. How will tax collection increase if investment does not increase?

He said, ‘Banks have been turned into criminal institutions. Islami Bank, TCB have been destroyed. 4.3 million fake beneficiaries have been found in the TCB list, which needs to be verified further.’

The keynote was presented at the event by Dr. Khandaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director of the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD). Other speakers included – Chairman of the National Board of Revenue Md. Abdur Rahman Khan, former professor and economist of Jahangirnagar University Anu Muhammad, Secretary (Routine Responsibilities) of the Ministry of Commerce Md. Abdur Rahim Khan, National Citizens Committee Chief Organizer Sarjis Alam, and Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Chief Coordinator Umama Fatima.

Expressed their opinions.