None would be spared for rice price hike: Qamrul

Food Minister Qamrul Islam today said the government would take action against mill owners and wholesalers involved in price hiking after receiving the inquiry report, reports BSS.

“None would be spared for price hike of rice. Actions would be taken against those who would be found responsible for price hike of rice,” he told newsmen, after emerging from a meeting with Regional Food Controller (RC Food) and District Food Controllers (DC Food) in Bangladesh Secretariat.

The minister said mill owners and wholesalers would have to take permission from the food department for importing rice, adding, “If there is a violation of this rule, the person concerned will face the punishment for three years.”'

He also said wholesale and retail traders would have to take license from the Food Department within October 30 and if there is no license within this period, legal action will be taken against them as per the Control of Essential Commodity Act, 1956.

In accordance to the Act, traders have to take license from the food department for more than one metric tonne of rice and wheat, whether officials were aware or not about it, Qamrul said.

He said the field-level food officials would issue notices about license for rice and wheat traders by October 10, adding, “Price of rice is now at a tolerable level and rice price would be on the declining trend henceforth. From now mill owners and wholesalers would have to inform the ministry about the stock of rice each after 15 days.”