Legal notice served on govt over abrupt hike in onion prices
A legal notice was served on the government seeking its explanation within three days over the abnormal price hike of onions in the country. The legal notice threatened to take legal action against the government by filing a writ petition with the High Court, if the government fails to give a satisfactory explanation.
Barrister Shihab Uddin Khan, a Supreme Court lawyer, sent the legal notice to the secretary of commerce, chairman of Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) and chairman of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) asking them to give reply to the legal notice within three days. Otherwise legal action will be taken against them by filing a writ petition with the High Court, Khan said. The legal notice said that the prices of onions have increased to an alarming level in the last one month. But, no satisfactory answers were found from the TCB about the abnormal price hike of onions in the country, the notice said.
The price chart provided by TCB on August 13, which shows that the price of onions (local) was Tk 28-32 and the onions (imported) were Tk 22-25 per kg on July 13.
But, the price of onions increased to Tk 30-35 on August 6 and the price, to utter surprise, increased to Tk 60-65 on August 13, the notice said.
Despite imports and sufficient supply of onion in the domestic market, prices of this important daily essential have more than doubled in a weeks time just ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, much to the agony of consumers. Moreover, there is a public perception that a strong syndicate is allegedly involved with the sharp increase in the price of onions.
The countrys people are suffering a lot due to the sudden price hike of onions just before the Eid-ul-Azha. But the concerned ministry and departments are yet to come up with any effective step to control the price hike of onion, it said.
