Students, consumer rights body team up to break syndicates behind commodity price hike
The development comes after students in the capital began kitchen market monitoring on Friday, a move welcomed by both the public and shopkeepers.
Students monitor market in Karwan Bazar om 9 August 2024. Photo: Jahir Rayhan/TBS
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Students monitor market in Karwan Bazar om 9 August 2024. Photo: Jahir Rayhan/TBS
Anti-Discrimination Student Movement will team up with the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection to monitor markets nationwide, including Dhaka, with the aim of dismantling commodity market syndicates.
This initiative was announced at a view exchange meeting held by the Department of Consumer Affairs in Karwan Bazar today. The meeting was chaired by AHM Shafiquzzaman, director general of the Directorate of Consumer Affairs.
During the meeting, 12 proposals were presented by the students, with Bin Yamin Mollah serving as one of the coordinators of the Movement.
The development comes after students in the capital began kitchen market monitoring on Friday, a move welcomed by both the public and shopkeepers. They were also forming teams in each kitchen market to ensure that no corrupt traders could form syndicates and raise the prices of essential items.
Yamin Mollah said teams will oversee market activities from city centres to local neighbourhoods, collaborating with consumers. He advocated for organising similar view exchange meetings in every district and upazila.
Key measures outlined for market supervision include mandatory display of price lists in all shops, eviction of encroachments on government land, combating extortion and syndicates, compiling a comprehensive list of essential commodities by area, and addressing corruption and nepotism in market management to stabilise the market within a week.
Director General AHM Shafiquzzaman said this is a pivotal opportunity to improve market conditions. He noted that the student activists’ involvement in market monitoring will be guided by the meeting’s feedback, and plans are underway to develop guidelines for more intensive student engagement.
To facilitate this collaboration, five officials from the directorate’s head office and one focal officer from each department and district office will maintain communication with the central, divisional, and district coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement.
