The consumer market in the country is out of control. There is a commerce ministry whose main task is to appease the business community to make more profits. In the latest development, the edible oil producers have hiked the price of soybean oil by Tk 7 per litre. Now one will have to buy a one-litre bottle of soybean oil for Tk 160. The edible oil refiners and Banaspoti producers’Association on Tuesday officially informed their decision to the commerce minister. Now it is for ministry to find ways and means of lowering the price within the capacity of the general people.
The government’s reliance RAB and police is no governance. Sometimes mobile courts are seen operating with the help of RAB or police. But price hike, adulteration, and other irregularities remain the same as usual. We’ve no proper words to express our astonishment that price of a one-litre soybean oil bottle has jumped to Tk 180 from Tk 109 just in a span of one year. May be price hike in the international market is the reason behind the higher price in the local market. But the government has to save the general people from financial hardship. Not only the soybean oil but also every kitchen item including vegetables are now prohibitively expensive. Sugar has become bitter due to its abnormal price. Onion is another kitchen ingredient which keeps getting costlier. The rice market is yet not stable despite repeated attempts taken by the Food ministry.
It is a major responsibility of the government to find ways of keeping the price of essential commodities cheap for the general public. It is no use telling us who are responsible for excessively high prices. How they do it is the government’s business. The misery of the people cannot be ignored just because the government has no accountability.
