DCCI organized a multi-stakeholder dialogue. Photo: Collected

DHAKA, July 19, 2025 (BSS) – Speakers at a dialogue here today underscored the need for ensuring effective market surveillance to protect the interests of both consumers and businesses especially in the market of essential commodities.

They also put emphasis on enforcing proper effective market supervision, addressing artificial crisis as well as ensuing product quality, curbing extortion and insecurity in the transportation of goods.

They underlined the importance on addressing complexities in the import process, storage facilities, minimizing distrust among the traders and consumers, addressing lack of fair competition in the market, and sudden price hike in the local market due to supply and demand crunch, especially in the essential commodities. 

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) arranged the multi-stakeholders dialogue on consumer and business protection through market monitoring, a press release said.

Administrator of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Shahjahan Mia, Director General of Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) Mohammed Alim Akhter Khan, Member of Bangladesh Competition Commission Dr. Akhtaruzzaman Talukder and Member of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority Professor Dr. Mohammad Shoeb were present.

DSCC administrator Shahjahan Mia said that due to the middlemen in the transportation of goods and market management, the market is witnessing high prices, especially in essential commodities. 

He said the reputation of the ethical businessmen sometimes being hampered due to a small number of dishonest businessmen for which the ethical businessmen should come forward to take action against these dishonest businessmen. 

Director General of DNCRP Mohammed Alim Akhter Khan said that due to the middlemen, the prices of goods in the market sometimes shoot up in many cases and there is a need for concerted efforts by the government agencies to control the market. 

He said although the issue of effective market supervision is very important, but there is a dearth of officials under his directorate. “So with limited workforce, it is hard to monitor the big market,” he added. 

Alim also opined that it is essential to increase coordination among the agencies to respond faster. He also suggested reviewing the Consumer Rights Protection Act and aligning it with other related regulations, acts and ordinances to minimize few smaller disparities.

Member of Bangladesh Competition Commission Dr. Akhtaruzzaman Talukder said that a fair competition in the market would bring benefits not only to the consumers but also to the traders. 

He opined that getting adequate information and regular research, related to the supply and actual demand of products can play an effective role in preventing unequal competition in the market.

Member of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority Professor Dr. Mohammad Shoeb said that his organization has been conducting regular drives to ensure safe food for consumers, but it is necessary to strengthen market monitoring activities in a coordinated manner. 

He also said that the market monitoring mechanism should adopt technology or digital services for better performance.

Razeev H Chowdhury, Acting President of DCCI, chaired the discussion and said that despite the continuous expansion of the country's economic activities, consumers, especially small and medium enterprises, are constantly facing challenges due to the alleged price manipulation, artificial crisis, low quality of products, complex regulations and various harassments in the market.

To deal with the prevailing situation, he laid emphasis on the formulation and effective implementation of an integrated framework of market supervision and the creation of an accountable and competitive market monitoring system.

Haji Mohammad Golam Mowla, General Secretary, Moulovi Bazar Traders Association, Khandaker Monir Ahmed, Senior Vice President of Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association, Haji Abul Hashem, President, Sugar and Oil Traders Association, Md. Zakir Hossain, General Secretary, Bangladesh Super Market Owners’ Association, President of Moulvibazar Traders’ Association Kazi Mohammad Bashir Uddin, Golam Sarwar Robin, Director of Bangladesh Cold Storage Association, Former Vice President of DCCI M Abu Hurairah also spoke.

Besides, DCCI Directors Zamsher Ali, Enamul Haque Patwary, former Senior Vice President Abdus Salam also spoke. DCCI Vice President Salem Sulaiman was also present.