Editorial
Extortionists jacking up prices
Flush them out of the system
THE food and disaster management minister himself has admitted that extortion is the single most important reason behind the seemingly uncontrollable price hike. The minister's statement has made it clear that extortion has become part of the entire process of transporting goods, and the law enforcers are apparently not capable of doing anything to counter this organised crime.
It certainly amounts to criminalisation of the supply and marketing system, which puts unbearable pressure on the consumers in the form of galloping prices. The minister deserves kudos for his candid admission, though he did not mention who these much-maligned extortionists were and why is it that they could operate with such impunity. But he did come very close to revealing a harsh truth -- obviously, the extortionists could be none other than the people having both social and political clout. And the source of their clout is obvious too.
So, the malady has been diagnosed rightly, and the timing has also been right as people brace for another round of price-hike during the holy month of Ramadan. What is needed now is a strong resolve to blunt the force of extortionism derived from the political culture itself. Here is an opportunity for the ruling party to place our collective interest above that of some professional goons and hoodlums, irrespective of their political identity and party affiliation. The decision makers should be able to work out easily what it means in terms of price increase if a truck owner has to be paid an extra Tk 21,000 for a trip to Mymensingh from Jessore, just to meet the demands of extortionists. They have set up a parallel toll collection system in utter disregard of the law.
Now, if the government really wants to keep the prices down, it has to crack down on the elements whose illegal business costs consumers so dearly. The law enforcers should be able to identify and catch the extortionists back in business after a break of two years.
Extortionists not only upset the normal market practices but also bring into light the fact that they are unabashedly exploiting their political connections. So, it is imperative that the law enforcers are immediately ordered to put an end to the extortion business.
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