A Ramadhan of discontent
Higher prices, fewer buyers.Photo: AFP
THE Ramadhan price hike was rightly anticipated by the authorities, and none other than the commerce minister himself announced a series of measures to combat it. They included the setting up of fair price shops, import of onion and sugar by Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) and market monitoring. When the commerce minister himself had a forethought of the looming high prices of the essentials the public had enough reason to rest assured of a fair deal in the market, at least during the holy month of Ramadhan. Belying those reasons, the market has remained unrelenting, and the continuing high prices lash us with full fury. Even though the commerce minister talked so authoritatively about providing succor to the poor, at least during the holy month, it all drew blank. He could own or disown responsibility. He did neither. Ever since, he has remained silent or has shifted his focus elsewhere. And the government has also joined the ranks of passive spectators of the price terror. In the meantime, the abnormal prices of the items essential for fasting people continue to take their toll. The commerce minister has also suddenly gone off the radar so far as the mundane matters like prices are concerned. Neither have the media outlets advanced any explanation about the failure of the commerce minister's almost missionary zeal to ensure price discipline. However, after scanning recent newspapers and reading between the lines, some explanations may be available to the discerning observers. The food minister, while giving his view on the rise in prices, disclosed rather inadvertently the cases of wide-scale extortion en route before the goods reach the retail markets of the capital. He was, however, shutdown forthwith by the government's senior leaders to disprove the commission of such a crime. According to media observers, it is the massive market manipulation by the traders that foils the government's efforts to bring about some discipline in the market prices. But, in both the cases, the solution lies in the government's hands. It's a convoluted riddle as to what's holding them back from protecting the common people from the market tyranny. Then there is emerging consumer culture, which is not conducive to egalitarian consumerism. Take a look around you and at yourself. In the new consumer culture the poor are further marginalised. The "turbo-consumers" that the affluent have become are more and more unwilling to embrace the socialistic spirit of living life. So the poor, the destitute and the social underdogs are always left in the lurch and unable to catch up with the affluent few who have no headaches about price hikes. When the Awami League assumed power in 1996 with a wafer-thin majority in the parliament, it gave a good account of itself in terms of performance, achievement and governance. For a while, the country witnessed abundance of cereals, stable prices and market discipline. Now, with four-fifth of the majority in the parliament, the AL government has been stumbling practically on all fronts. What has led to this unsavoury performance can be found in a subtle difference. The humility of 1996 has now given way to arrogance, which destroys all wielders of the sceptre anywhere. The AL, with its display of chutzpah, is showing the early syndrome of its self-destruction. Market anarchy is indeed a product of "socio-economaly" in our society. Now it has snowballed into a major crisis. Defying the market rule of pricing essentials on the basis of demand and supply some invisible forces have crept into our market system, with or without the knowledge of the authorities concerned, as the determinants of the prices of fruit, vegetables and grocery items. The government has to unmask this cartel and come down on them with a heavy hand. Unless this is done we shall permanently be hostage to their skullduggery. And the poor commerce minister will have to eat humble pie.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments