Sirajul Islam, president of Bangladesh Fresh Fruits Importers Association claimed that the price of dates has increased two to three times due to high duty.
He made this demand at an exchange meeting at the FBCCI office in Motijheel in the capital on Wednesday (February 28).
Sirajul Islam said, if there was no high duty on the import of dates, dates could have been sold at a much lower price. Due to this, the price has increased almost two to three times. But those who determine the duty are not liable. The responsibility is either the government or the businessmen.
He also said that import of dates at the rate of Tk 110 per kg has to pay a duty of Tk 140. It has to be sold in the market for 250 taka. This is why the price of dates is so high. This duty has been added in the current financial year 2023-24. But in the financial year 2022-23, I paid only 10 taka duty on one kg of dates.
This date trader said, I have been importing dates for 35 years and never had to pay duty. I now import dates for USD 900-1000. Chittagong Customs has fixed a duty of $2,500 for container dates and $4,000 for dates in frozen containers. This has increased the price of dates almost three times.
General Secretary of Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association Imran Hasan said that if the prices of broiler chicken, beef, spices etc. increase during Ramadan, the restaurant owners will suffer.
FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam assured that FBCCI will take initiatives in this regard.
The FBCCI president said that when the supply chain is disrupted, an artificial crisis is created, the monitoring system should be strengthened so that there is no abnormal difference in the price of products from the wholesale market to the retail level.
Mahbubul Alam said that action will be taken against those who create artificial crisis and extortion in the market.
Addressing the traders, he said, Ramadan is the month of worship. You do business throughout the year, you will also do it in the month of Ramadan. In other countries of the world, discounts are given on the occasion of festivals. It should be the same in our country. Don’t overprice a merchant’s product. You get fair in the month of Ramadan. The Prime Minister is cautious about this. So everyone should be careful.
FBCCI President said, “I also agree with the Minister of Commerce regarding the market monitoring during Ramzan.” I don’t want the police to monitor the market. Market committee president and general secretary should monitor. If the prices of daily necessities are not monitored, the traders will be harassed by the government. We don’t want that. So I request every market committee, you strengthen the monitoring activities.
Senior Vice President of FBCCI said in the closing speech. Amin Helali said, FBCCI is not for any dishonest businessmen. Action will always be taken against them. Besides, market monitoring will be done from FBCCI.
Earlier, representatives and owners of mill owners, wholesalers, wholesale and retail businesses and owners highlighted their positions by participating in the open discussion in the meeting.
The representatives of the producers and suppliers of the products have assured not to increase the prices of the consumer goods by mentioning that there is enough stock of daily necessities.
Meanwhile, onion traders said that new onions are going to grow in the next 10 days, as a result of which there will be no shortage of onions in the market during the upcoming Ramadan.
EAR/ZH/MS
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