Salehuddin irked by high prices of essentials

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed expressed dissatisfaction over the stubbornly high prices of essential commodities despite import duty cuts.
Although the National Board of Revenue (NBR) drastically slashed import duties on rice, onions, edible oil, potatoes, sugar and eggs over the past three months after the interim government took office, prices have not fallen, he said.
He made the remarks during a programme organised by the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) at its office to celebrate the foundation’s 34th founding anniversary yesterday.
Ahmed said he faced anger from people when he was in charge of the commerce ministry as prices of eggs and onions were not falling despite reduced import duties.
He added that it is not only the commerce ministry’s job to ensure stability in the market.
“Many factors exist. But I don’t blame people for becoming impatient because they are not getting enough even after spending Tk 500 in kitchen markets,” he said. “But we are trying. Things are not very easy.”
He said there was criticism of his decision to allow the export of 3,000 tonnes of hilsa to India ahead of Durga Puja, which accounted for less than 0.5 percent of the total production of the fish in Bangladesh.
Ahmed said the chief adviser described the decision as positive and thanked him.
“I did not share this publicly. I took the blame on my shoulders,” he said.
“We have to make difficult decisions sometimes. But if our institutions are not strong, proper implementation doesn’t happen even if we undertake good projects,” the adviser added.
“There are big and beautiful buildings but no honest people. There is also a lack of transparency and accountability.”