Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi came under fire in parliament on Tuesday from opposition lawmakers for what they said his failure to check the soaring prices of essential commodities.

Participating in discussion on the Trade Organisation Bills-2022 members from Jatiya Party and BNP also blasted the government for its failure to take effective measures to keep the price of daily necessities under control

They said although the commerce minister is an experienced businessperson, he has failed miserably to control the syndicate that manipulates price of essentials.

Also read: Enough stock of edible oil to keep the price stable: Tipu

Tipu Munshi, however, told the House that the government does not control business anywhere, rather, assists businesspeople.

Pointing to MP’s allegations regarding the government’s failure to control syndicate, the minister said those who are involved in syndicates, are not in politics and they are not MPs.

“The government is trying…The prime minister is constantly following up the matter,” he also said.

A disappointed commerce minister said, MPs always in their speeches in parliament call him a businessman.

“I am in business for 40 years. But I’ve been in politics for the last 56 years. Is it my fault to become a businessman,” he questioned.

Earlier taking part in the discussion on the bill, JP MP Kazi Firoz Rashid said the proposed law was passed in parliament in the interest of syndicate.

“The government is encouraging the syndicate. But it has failed to take effective measures to keep the price of essentials under control.”

Another JP MP Pir Fazlur Rahman said why the commerce minister and his ministry couldn’t control the syndicate from manipulating prices of essentials. That is why the syndicate is raising prices of essentials almost all the time.

He said the minister is an experienced businessman but why couldn’t he control the syndicate?

“You have to accept the truth. The syndicate has increased the price of oil and taken away thousands of crores of taka. But the minister couldn’t take any action.”

The JP MP said, no matter how much the minister is trying to reduce the price by reducing VAT, in fact the prices of daily commodities in the market have not come down that much.

He said that it was reported in the newspaper today (yesterday) that he (Commerce Minister) went to the market yesterday (Monday) and he bought 5 kg of onion at Tk 28 per kg.

“Now, if the minister had gone to the kitchen and other markets of daily essentials with a prior announcement, people could have gone to that markets and bought things at a lower price like the minister.”

Because, he said, as much as he is trying to reduce the price by reducing VAT, in fact the price of the product in the market has not decreased much.

Coming down heavily on the government, JP MP Mujibul Haque Chunnu said common people are severely bearing the brunt of the price hike.
He said, the syndicate cannot raise prices without the cooperation of the government.

“The government is blaming the war (Russia-Ukraine) behind the price hike. In that case, the prices of imported goods may go up. But why the prices of those goods will go up that were imported before the war and the ones that are produced domestically.”

He demanded that the prices of daily commodities are brought down even if it the government needs to give subsidy.

JP MP Shameem Haider Patwari said that a lemon that costs Tk 2 in Srimangal is being sold at Tk 22 in Dhaka. The commerce minister will have to fight again to control commodity prices.

“People are forced to compromise with food quality and nutrition due to price hike.”

Also read: Raise awareness about consumers’ rights: Tipu

The government needs to engage in fight to arrest the price hike of essentials.

BNP MP Harunur Rashid said consumers are suffering in Dhaka due to gas crisis. Prices of gas, oil and almost all essentials have increased.

He said there were questions as to whether the businessmen were building a mountain of wealth by becoming public representatives. The government has to take visible steps without irrelevantly blaming BNP for the price hike.

BNP MP from reserves seats for women in parliament, Rumeen Farhana said oil price hike has hit the consumers hard. In 15 days, the syndicate has looted one thousand crore take. This syndicate is none but the government. There is no difference between government and syndicate.

Blasting the government, another BNP MP Md. Mosharrf Hossain asked the commerce ministry whether he ever visited to market to get a first-hand experience about people’s sufferings.

Gonoforum MP Mokabbir Khan said the war should not be used as an excuse to increase commodity prices. Before the war began, the syndicate increased the price and looted money from people’s picket.

About the price hike of oil, Tipu Munshi said that he never said that the price of edible oil has gone up due to the war.

“The price of oil is fixed every month. Now the price of edible oil has increased in the world market,” he said.