The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) called for either forming a separate division or creating a new ministry to deal with the affairs of the consumers to protect their interests.
"The government should take an initiative to form a separate division under the ministry of commerce or create a new ministry on consumers' affairs to ensure a stable supply chain and prices of some 15-20 essential commodities for the interests of the consumers, especially of the lower-middle-income group of people," CAB president Ghulam Rahman told the media at a press conference at the National Press Club on Wednesday.
He also suggested that the government gear up its market monitoring drive and the Bangladesh Competition Commission make its activities visible to bring stability in the markets of essential commodities, saying that price tags should be mandatorily attached to the packets or sacks of goods for the benefits of consumers.
He lamented that despite different measures taken by the government, the volatile situation is yet to go from the onion market.
He said onion is now being sold at over Tk 220 a kg depending on its varieties, which was between Tk 20 and Tk 25 a kg during January- February last.
The prices of onion skyrocketed in the local market as India banned export of the key cooking ingredient on September 29.
The country could not afford to fulfil the annual demand of three million tonnes of onion despite its increased production over the last one decade.
It has to meet the local demand of onion substantially through import, mainly from India, according to CAB.
Mr Rahman said India did not impose restriction on onion export to the Maldives.
Newly-harvested local variety of onion has started to arrive in the local market and the prices are expected to come down by December, he added.
And the market will be stable soon if India lifts ban on onion export.
He said the supply situation of onion is yet to improve despite government and private sector initiatives for importing onion, giving different incentives including reducing letters of credit (LCs) margin, bank interest rates and selling of onion at subsidised rate by the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.
He added capitalising the present situation a section of unscrupulous importers, hoarders, wholesalers and retailers are making a fast buck manipulating prices of the spice.
He suggested providing high quality seeds and fertilisers to farmers and ensuring their easy access to finance so that the country can attain self-sufficiency in onion production.
He also recommended imposing 10-20 per cent tax on import of onion during the harvesting season and withdrawing that afterwards.
The CAB president also called upon the government to take stern action against the syndicate to keep the rice price stable, sell rice in open market and increase distribution of rice through its social safety net programmes and provide crop insurance for the benefits of the growers.
