Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) Director General (DG) AHM Shafiquzzaman said on Monday that he finds no logic behind the price hikes of locally-produced products like potato, beans and other crops.

It is not acceptable for corporate companies or big businesses to destabilize the market, he observed.

DG Shafiquzzaman said this while addressing a press briefing ahead of the arrangement of the grand finale of a debate competition on consumer rights awareness affairs at the conference room of the DNCRP in Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) Bhaban in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar area on Monday.

DNCRP and Debate for Democracy jointly organized the event.

He said his directorate has always been conducting drives in controlling the price of potato to ensure its reasonable price from growers to retailers so that it can be sold by the government-set price.

Read: Govt approves import of 6 crore more eggs: Commerce Ministry

Not only will the price of photos be reduced but also production cost of farmers will have to be considered, he asserted.

The DG said the government was compelled to import eggs to check manipulation by unscrupulous traders.

Admitting several limitations including manpower of the DNCRP, he said their 40 to 50 teams across the country have been working to control prices of essentials.

He suggested raising voices by general people to control prices, not only by sellers.

Highlighting several aspects of the debate, Debate for Democracy Chairman Hassan Ahamed Chowdhury Kiron observed that it is not possible to control prices of essentials by executing law and penalising and fining or punishing. Awareness must be grown among all including traders, sellers and buyers.

Read: Prices of essentials in Khulna markets remain far from stable despite ongoing drives

Humanitarian values will have to be woken up, prices of essentials won’t be hiked up taking chances marking Eid, Puja and other festivals, he said, adding that it is not a good practice to hike prices suddenly despite having supply against demand.

He suggested honouring honest businesspeople with recognitions and prizes to set examples before other businesses.

The semi and grand finales of the debate will be held next week while the champion and runner up teams will receive Tk 2 and 1 lakh respectively as prize.

Read more: Govt fixes prices of potatoes, onions, sugar, soybean and eggs