Price hike: hold the rot
Shamsher Chowdhury, Dhaka
The government lawmakers' surprise and bickering over the unbridled spiralling of prices of essential consumer goods since the beginning of the Holy Ramadan, is shocking. Our "Muslim brethren" (traders) had been indulging in this practice of raising prices with as much zeal as they say their prayers with. This matter of the spiralling prices has become an endemic affair in this country. However, it must be said that it has never been this bad. And now claims and counter claims are being made over the matter between some lawmakers and the Commerce Minster. Simply ridiculous. As far as I am concerned, when the Minster says that " onion was selling at tk.20 per Kg.", I say he is telling lies. How very childish and senseless it is to hear from a minister that he alone was not responsible for the deteriorating situation. The general idea of our lawmakers and the political hierarchy is that, 'let people continue to suffer while we continue to engage in all forms of blame games and meaningless duel of words in the comforts of cool-breezed air-conditioned conference rooms. These ministers routinely arrive in fancy Mitsubishi Pajeros and Nissan Patrols. Indeed history is being repeated here like 'Nero fiddling while Rome burns". The condition of the so- called middle class people of this country, to say the least, is now too critical due to this spiralling of prices of consumer goods. It is my earnest belief that the people should form "resistance committees" Mohollah-wise and go round the market places. If needed, "force " the dishonest traders to sell commodities at reasonable prices. This may fail or succeed but it is worth a try since the government has decided to hold yet "another strategic meeting on the 5th of November". After all, this is a crisis situation and matters need to be dealt with firmly and urgently.
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