The parliamentary standing committee on the commerce ministry formed the sub-committee on November 5 and asked it to come up with a report in seven days rejecting a ministry report that highlighted its limitations to control market prices.

But the main committee, yet to sit in a meeting since December 31 in violation of the rules of procedure that requires such committees on ministries to meet at least once a month, now appears reluctant to discuss the issue.

Chairman of the committee, Redwan Ahmed, yesterday dismissed the suggestion of violation of the rules. "It's not mandatory to sit once a month. We sit when it is necessary," Redwan told The Daily Star.

He said the next meeting of the committee would be held in mid-April and hoped that the sub-committee would submit its report at the meeting.

Convenor of the sub-committee Monirul Haque Chowdhury said the investigation was almost complete, adding: "We will submit the probe report at the next meeting of the committee."

He said the sub-committee found the lack of a government mechanism as the real cause for price hike.

"We'll recommend revival of the TCB (Trading Corporation of Bangladesh) and stepped-up market monitoring," said Monirul, also a ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party lawmaker.

He said the probe did not find hands of unscrupulous traders in the price spiral contradicting the ministry's claim.