Commerce Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told a committee meeting the prices of essentials climbed down, but Redwan Ahmed, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the commerce ministry and ruling party lawmaker, expressed concern that the prices spiralled out of control during Ramadan.

Meeting sources quoted the minister as saying the government does not have any mechanism to check the price hike. "A mechanism should be instituted to control the market price,'' the minister said.

Commerce Secretary Sohel Ahmed echoed the minister's views but said, "I don't know why prices of essentials go high ahead of Ramadan every year.''

The secretary told the meeting that 17,500 tonnes of onion were imported in the last 10 days, while only 7,500 tonnes were imported until October 18.

Khosru told newspersons that onion was available at Tk 20 a kg in his claim of low price -- the point Redwan differed on.

"People don't believe us when I say the prices are coming down," the minister said, urging journalists to reveal the truth.

Expressing dissatisfaction at the ministry's performance, some others on the committee accused the ministry of failing to check the price spiral.

The minister then defended himself: he alone is not responsible. He reasoned out that other ministries, including finance, are responsible as well.

Redwan sided with the minister on the point but said, "Had the commerce ministry taken initiatives earlier, the situation would not have deteriorated."

Both the ministry and the committee decided to discuss the issue at a special meeting on November 5.

The ministry was asked by the parliamentary body to submit a report specifying the cause of the abnormal price hike during Ramadan, which hit people, especially of the low-income bracket.

The committee at its two-hour meeting also discussed the export and import policy and structure of the Export Promotion Bureau.

Leaders of the ruling BNP at a joint meeting yesterday expressed dissatisfaction at the price hike and demanded urgent and strict measures to keep the prices in check.

At the meeting at the BNP central office at Naya Paltan with the party Secretary General, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan in the chair, several leaders accused the government of laxity in managing state affairs.