Help cutting rice price: Govt to traders

The government today called upon the traders and rice mill owners to extend their cooperation to the government by bringing down price of rice within purchasing capacity of people.

Three top ministers -- Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury and Food Minister Qamrul Islam -- came up with the call equivocally during a meeting held with traders in Dhaka this noon.

It will not be wise to increase rice price by creating artificial crisis in the market and the traders should help the government by bringing down the price of rice, they said.

In the meeting, Tofail Ahmed said the price of rice has been increased by spreading a rumor in the country that India has stopped exporting rice to Bangladesh.

“It is evident that the price of rice must be reduced,” Tofail said calling upon the rice traders not the plunge the people into a setback by creating artificial crisis in the market for extra profit illegally.

Expressing grave concern over the skyrocketing price spiral of rice, Qamrul Islam said such type of crisis created for the first time in the country’s history.

“There is no shortage of rice in the country. Despite this, why the price of rice went up,” Qamrul asked the rice traders.

“It is nothing but an artificial crisis,” Qamrul said pointing finger at the traders.

Besides, the rice traders denied the allegation by presenting several cause behind the hike of rice price in the market. They also addressed some demands including use of plastic sacks instead of jute one to import rice for at least three months.

At one point, Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill Owners Association President Abdur Rashid assured the government that they will try their level best to bringing down the rice price immediately.

“Rice prices will come down by Tk 2-3 per kg tomorrow,” said KM Layek Ali general secretary of the traders body after emerging from the meeting.