File Photo
The government has launched a crackdown on illegal stockiest
of rice across the country, including the capital, yesterday (June 1, 2022). In
this campaign, the involvement of rice stocks of big organizations of the
country has come out. In several places, the raiders found the existence of
rice stored by reputed corporates. Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder has
directly said that six companies are stockpiling rice illegally.
On Wednesday (June 1, 2022), a large quantity of rice was
recovered in a nationwide operation. The largest of these was at Chohelgazi in
Dinajpur. About 5,400 metric tons of rice has been seized from there. The
company was allowed to store only 156 metric tons of rice. Sources said that
those who are trying to destabilize the market by creating an artificial rice
crisis will not be given any concessions. Why is the price of rice so high in
the full season of Boro in the cabinet meeting last Monday? Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina directed to look into it. After that the administration including
the Ministry of Food sat motionless. Yesterday, raids were carried out in the
warehouses of big mills and institutions all over the country including the
capital.
According to media reports, a mobile court raided the
warehouse of one of the country's top companies at Chohelgazi in Dinajpur last
Tuesday night. Dinajpur's Kotwali Police Station OC Mozaffar Hossain said Sadar
Food Controller Chittaranjan Singh had filed a case as a plaintiff after
finding excess rice in the warehouse. Referring to the information of the case,
he said that there is legal permission to keep 156 tons of rice. But more than
5,400 tons of rice was found during the operation. A case has been filed
against the company for storing this extra rice.
The rice traders fled
on the news of the operation.
Another large organization in the country has been fined. A mobile
court has fined them Tk 80,000 for storing 500 tonnes of paddy in the company's
rice unit in Saraswati Bazar area of Mahadevpur upazila in Naogaon for an
overdue period. Naogaon District Administration Magistrate Arafat Hossain
conducted the mobile court on Wednesday afternoon. Incidentally, a few days
ago, a fine of Tk 50,000 was imposed on this rice unit on the same charge.
The operation was conducted yesterday at Nitaiganj, the largest wholesale market in Narayanganj. A mobile court operation was conducted in three companies in Nitaiganj under the leadership of Dipti Aditi Islam, executive magistrate of the district administration. At that time, the executive magistrate monitored the amount of rice import, sale price receipt and stock. She warned a few more organizations at the time. According to traders, mill owners have increased the price of rice from Tk 300 to Tk 400 per bag in the last few weeks. In the retail market, rice has increased from Tk 6 to Tk 8 per kg. Wholesalers have complained that they are not getting rice from mill owners. Rice trader Shakil Ali said, "Rice prices are expected to come down at this time. Because new rice comes in the market. But this time the opposite is happening. 'A rice trader, who did not want to be named, said:
A mobile court of the district administration has fined four
storekeepers and sealed one storehouse in Chittagong for increasing and
stocking the price of rice. Umar Farooq, executive magistrate and assistant
commissioner of the district administration, conducted the operation at
Pahartali rice market in the city yesterday. Several companies were fined
between Tk 20,000 and Tk 1,000 during the operation. One was sealed for not
having a food grain license.
Rice cannot be sold
in packets: Food Minister
Meanwhile, Md. Abdul Jabbar Mandal, head of the Dhaka
district office at the Consumer Rights Department, and Md. Shariful Islam,
assistant director of the head office, conducted raids in Kajla and Kalapatti
areas under Jatrabari police station. Five companies in Kajla area were fined a
total of Tk 220,000 for not displaying price list of rice during the campaign,
selling rice at a price higher than the price indicated in the price list, not
keeping cash memo, abnormally increasing the price of rice purchased at previous
price within one day.
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder told reporters at the
Secretariat yesterday that the Prime Minister himself was monitoring the
market. Action will be taken against those who are hoarding. Even if he belongs
to Awami League, he will not be released. He said stocks of rice of six groups
have been found. Rice stocks have also been found among school teachers. I
don't trade rice, that's for sure. He said those who have stockpiles have no
party. The stockholders are a different group. I have directed to file a case
against the stockiest under the Special Powers Act of 1974. Mentioning that
there will be no rice crisis in the country, the food minister said that if it
is, then we may have to import it. If necessary, the consumer will be kept in
comfort by importing rice by reducing the duty.
The food minister said there is no shortage of rice supply
in the borough season, but why is the price of rice going up? It is the
manipulation of traders. The minister said that six companies are bagging the
same rice which is costing Tk 60 to Tk 65 and selling it in packets at Tk 80 to
Tk 85. At the same time advance money is coming with millers, even with packets
coming to Naogaon, Dinajpur, Bogra etc. "One thing to keep in mind is that
when they are picking up a huge quantity of rice, it costs three rupees to pack
it, they are selling it at Tk 10 and Tk 15 more," he said. For this, there
is no problem in buying them at a higher price. For this reason, those who are
selling rice to them are also competing to buy rice from the market. The food
minister said rice bought from the country's market and packaged cannot be sold
again. For this, a circular is being considered.
Sadhan Chandra Majumder said that a nationwide operation was being carried out to nab the illegal hoarders. One will go to the market, one will go to production, another will have stocks. Even after that there was a surplus of about 5,000 tons of rice. It has been sealed and prosecuted. Their goods have been confiscated. He said no one would be spared. At the time, the food minister said, many were trying to say that the rains and floods had damaged crops, in fact, the departmental commissioners and deputy commissioners have been instructed to find out the amount of damage.
Sources in the Ministry of Agriculture said that the
information they have received so far shows that a total of 78987 tonnes of
rice has been lost due to heavy rains, storms and landslides. However, in
reality, the source thinks that the amount of this loss will be more. This year
2 crore 11 lakh 57 thousand 863 tons of rice production target has been set.
Which was 2 crore 8 lakh 85 thousand 263 tons last year. Therefore, the amount
of crop lost in storms and rains so far will not have any major impact on the
total rice production. But an unscrupulous business circle is trying to
destabilize the rice market.
A control room has been opened in the food ministry along
with the operation to nab illegal stockiest. It has been requested to contact
the control room numbers +88022233802113, 01790-499942 and 01713-003506 to
report the illegal stock information.
|Source: Online/SZK
Comment Now