Govt will take actions if anyone increases prices deliberately: Hasan

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud Tuesday said the government would take stringent actions against the dishonest traders if they increase prices of commodities deliberately and create anarchy in the country.  "BNP leaders, including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, are giving statements over commodity prices. The prices of commodities have been increased due to Covid-19 and the recent war. The government is working to reduce the prices in our country and it (government) would take tough actions if any dishonest traders increase prices taking the excuse of any disaster," he said.

 

The minister stated these while addressing a discussion organized by Jatiya Press Club (JPC), marking International Women's Day at its auditorium with its president Farida Yasmin in the chair. Senior journalist Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul, the daily Manabjamin editor Mahbuba Chowdhury, JPC acting general secretary Mainul Alam and Nari Sangbadik Kendra president Nasimun Ara Haque, among others, addressed the discussion while JPC executive committee member Ayub Bhuiyan conducted the event.

 

First woman vice-president of Dhaka University Central Students' Union's (DUCSU) Mahfuza Khanam was given a special award in the programme while Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) special correspondent Mahfuza Jasmine presented the keynote paper.

 

Sharply criticizing BNP leaders' comments as they claimed that the country is going through a silent famine, Hasan said, "My question is where and from which researches they find it. Today, no person remains without food in Bangladesh."

 

The countrymen are now in better condition than before. During the regime of BNP, people were shot while they were staging demonstrations demanding fertilizer, Hasan said, adding even many people died due to starvation.

 

He said only the fate of those persons had changed, who were in power during the BNP regime. But, currently, the fortune of everyone has changed, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

 

He said the per capita income was 600 US dollars when the government took the power in 2009. But, now the per capita income is about 2,600 US dollars. The per capita income has increased about four-and-a-half times and the purchasing power of lower-income people has increased about three times under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he added.

 

At present, he said, a day labourer can buy 12 to 20 kilograms of rice with his per day income. "For this, I want to urge BNP leaders including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir not to create confusion among the people," he added. He said, "The politics of BNP is evolving from Begum Khaleda Zia's health to Tarique Rahman's punishment issues."

 

About the Day, the minister said the country is now a role model before the developing countries regarding women empowerment. Many women are now working in televisions, radios, online news portals and newspapers, he added. Hasan said the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thinks that the progress of women is a must for taking the country forward.