THE government yesterday urged the people for not going into panic buying as the country had adequate supply and stocks of essential commodities. “We have stocks of essential commodities up by 25 per cent to 30 per cent now compared with that of the same period of last year,” Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said following price hikes of some products at the retail market when people went into panic buying fearing a supply shortage and price hike due to the impact of coronavirus. The minister before the press also tried to assure us that there woukd be no shortage of essential products like rice, edible oil, onion and pulse due to sufficient stocks. Usually, the retailers increase the prices taking the advantage when people start buying huge volumes of products at a time to stock at home. It’s a common tendency of human beings to stay safe by ensuring a secured atmosphere around them. So we don’t blame the people for getting panicked when buying essentials during such type of pandemic.
It is not only in Bangladesh. From London to Teheran and Moscow to Italy — people of many countries where coronavirus has already attacked — are buying and stocking foods and other essentials as a part of their preparedness to face the lockdown period. Their governments have taken adequate measures in this regard and announced billions of dollars in subsidies so that their people feel safe. As our government has not yet taken any emergency measures regarding the virus, there is a fear among the common people that the situation may go worse very shortly. If so, it would not be possible for the government to control millions of retailers across the country for stopping price hikes. In the normal period, most of the businessmen don’t hesitate to make extra profit if there is a little scope – like flood, cyclone and religious festivals.
We really don’t know whether there are enough food stocks in the country as stated by the minister concerned. And we have no idea whether the government has any plan to supply foods and other items to the people in subsidised prices during an emergency.
