Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was passed in Parliament on Tuesday with a view to further amending Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission Act, 1992. 

State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu moved the Bill and it was passed by voice vote.

The amendment bill has been placed to bring change in the name of the post of "secretary" of Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission. 

Taking part in the amendment discussion Jatiya Party MP Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that the work of the Ministry of Commerce is to control commodity prices. There is an organization called TCB which sells fair price products in the market. 

“At the upazila level, I have seen that a card has been given, for which five-six products have to be purchased. Many people cannot take it. Those who do not need those should also take separate items from TCB.”

He said that if the Commerce Ministry brought any law to control the market, if they had brought any law to break syndicates, then it would be said that the Ministry of Commerce is doing a good job. 

“At various times they (Commerce Ministry) try to control the market. The market is fine when they go to market. But when they leave the market, the state of the market returns to where it was.”

He said that he does not know that the Ministry of Commerce has powers for breaking syndicates and controlling commodity prices.

Hafiz Uddin Ahmed alleged that the prices of all products have increased in the market. 

“The price of medicine is increasing uncontrollably. I don't know where the companies will take the billions of profit. Pharmaceuticals companies evade duty, bring raw material with low duty but the price is high in our country.”

He mentioned that If the price of medicine was controlled, people would get better treatment. 

“There is talk of reducing the price of cancer drugs and kidney treatment by law. Are these companies outside? Is it the East India Company? Our native owner. Do they have no conscience? What percentage is the profit? 100 percent profit.”

Independent MP Pankaj Nath said that the bill is not in the interest of the people. Here is just a word change. People's interest would be there only if the Tariff Commission is tasked with determining the prices of consumer goods, daily commodities, availability in market, coordination of import and production and making it easy for the people. 

“Breaking syndicates and making daily products available to poor people. That is the work of the Tariff Commission to suggest to the government.”

He criticised bringing the Bill in Parliament just to change a word.

“It is a waste of money to call three hundred and fifty MPs of Parliament to change the word from the position of a single secretary to a Director, putting the Prime Minister in front of you and changing the word from you (minister).”