Reckless extortion pushes up prices of essentials: Dr Razzak

UNB, Dhaka

Reckless extortion through the supply chain makes vegetables and other essentials dearer as two senior ministers of the government on Sunday recognized the criminalization of the market system.
Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr Abdur Razzak was bold enough to criticize his own govt when 70 pc of the transportation costs apparently go to the pockets of extortionists.
He expressed frustration seeing the result of his own personal survey among vegetable traders and truckers, and said he conveyed the findings of his survey on extortion to the intelligence agencies for further probe.
Echoing with Dr Razzak's revelation at a function at Hotel Sheraton, Finance Minister AMA Muhith sought the next 10 years free of "greed, criminalization and extortion" to make Bangladesh a happy, prosperous and peaceful country.
"If we can continue next 10 years peacefully and curb greed, criminalization and extortion, we'll build a happy and prosperous country," he said. The allegation of extortion and criminalization in the commodity supply chain has long been prevailing in the country, but so far remained unaddressed.
The two ministers delved deeper into the problem than their colleague Commerce Minister Faruk Khan, who is charged with monitoring the price situation to ensure fair prices for the consumers as committed by the government. Faruk Khan often blames profiteering by businessmen for the rising prices.
Rahimafrooz Superstore 'Agora' organized the function to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hridoye Mati O' Manush Krishak Samabay Samity Limited, a cooperative of vegetable growers.
Addressing the signing ceremony, popular media personality on agriculture issues Shykh Seraj and farmers from the cooperative pointed out a wide difference in prices at growers' level and the consumers' end.
The Food Minister said the development of agriculture, the backbone of the country's economy, is unlikely to take place as long as the country would fail to go for commercial production.
"I don't know whether it would be wise for me, as a minister, to tell you the story of extortion," said Dr Razzak. To begin with, he said a truck owner received only Tk 7,000 for a trip from Jessore to Mymensingh although the trip was pre-settled at Tk 28,000.
"The rest Tk 21,000 had to be paid as extortion," he said, adding that the truck driver paid Tk 1,700 each at only two points within 15 kilometre distance in Gazipur.