Rab officials said they will monitor prices of vegetables in wholesale and retail markets of the capital and identify traders who charge exorbitantly. They also said stern actions would be taken against those found responsible for the price hike of vegetables.

High-ranking Rab officials held a views-exchange meeting at Rab headquarters yesterday with leaders of almost all wholesale and retail markets’ committees of Dhaka and asked them to cooperate with the elite force in taking actions against the culprits.

Rab officials in the meeting mentioned prices of some essential items from a report, which Rab intelligence members had prepared surveying kitchen markets in the city. They told the committee leaders that retailers were charging in some cases more than double the price of their purchase price.

The Rab officials and the committee leaders agreed that it would be logical if retailers made Tk 5 to Tk 6 profit in one kilogramme of vegetables.

"Rab will always be ready to assist vegetables traders if criminals demanded toll from them, resulting in price hike of essentials," Director General of Rab Hasan Mahmood Khandkar told the committee leaders.

Addressing the meeting, Rab officials said steps have already been taken against different syndicates and people who make incredibly high profits. They said Rab would carry out the drive along with other law enforcement agencies.

They also told the committee leaders that intelligence agencies and joint forces would take stern actions against those who collect toll from vegetables traders in order to help them keep the prices of essentials cheaper.

The Rab-intelligence report identified 10 reasons behind the price hike of essentials including collection of toll in markets, extortion during transportation of essentials, hoarding and smuggling of goods and commission taken by the middlemen. Besides, wholesalers' syndicate and artificial supply-shortage creation is also responsible for price hike of essentials.

Additional Rab DG, commanding officers and top officials of all five Rab battalions in and around the city spoke on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) is to set up around 200 outlets of essential items in the capital to keep the prices of essentials at a reasonable level during the month of Ramadan. BDR will set up outlets at district headquarters as well, BDR personnel said during a press briefing at BDR headquarters.

The paramilitary force will also set up five wholesale kitchen markets ahead of Ramadan for adequate flow of essential items to the retail market.

The five wholesale kitchen markets would be set up at the city's Gabtoli, Uttara Sector-2 and 6, Jatrabari and Sahidnagar.

Out of the 200 outlets BDR would operate 100, Ansar will operate 50 and non-government organisations would operate the rest 50.

BDR authorities claimed they have been able to identify the reasons behind the price hike of essentials and informed the government of the matter. However, they did not disclose the reasons behind price hike of essentials to the press.

Col Mojibul Hoque, sector commander sector headquarters and task force commander of Operation Daal Bhaat-2007, Col Halim, chief coordinator, BDR Trade and Monitoring Cell, Lt Col Mohammad Fazle Akbar, second-in-command, sector headquarters were present in the briefing.