Rice prices fall when the products of the Boro (March- May) season arrive in the market, but this time the staple is getting costlier. Wholesalers say the mills have raised prices. The mill owners have blamed a rise in the prices of paddy this season for the spike in rice prices…..The minister ordered officials to monitor the mills and report their purchase of paddy and sales of rice… (Source: bdnews24.com, published on 30.05.2022).
Comment:
The people of Bangladesh are passing through a tough time as the price of essentials are soaring every day, especially the staple grain is going beyond their affordability. There seems to be no one to take the responsibility as the regime blames the rice-mill owners who in turn point their fingers to the farmers and the farmers are helpless as the production costs are getting higher every year. (See, “Frustrated farmer sets paddy plants ablaze to protest low price in Tangail”, bdnews24.com, 13 May 2019). The general people are desperate to fill their hunger and are least interested in this blame game. The present regime’s claim of self-sufficiency in food security means nothing if people cannot afford to buy this. In fact, they lie and deceive people with all these politically loaded narratives of development, self-sufficiency, etc. They neither look after the farmers nor the people, and their aim is to perpetuate their reign by satisfying the foreign powers and a few local Capitalists.
Hoarding is a common phenomenon in a capitalist system which is based on self-interest and greed. For long, syndicates of giant business have been exploiting the market of essential food and commodities under the auspices of the regime. This hike could also be the making of a ground for importing rice from India in the midst of paddy harvesting season and that will cause further damages to the farmers and mill owners. (“Duty-free Indian rice import a boon for importers but loss for farmers”, Dhaka Tribune). In order to keep food prices within the reach of all people, first of all adequate support and facilities must be given to the farmers. But the sad irony of the secular democratic system is that here the regime facilitates for a few capitalists to accumulate public wealth and hardly care for the people’s needs.
The people of Bangladesh now know that the Capitalist system will never be able to stabilize essential food prices, hence this must be replaced by a system that is based on justice and responsibility. And only the Khilafah Rashidah (rightly guided Caliphate) can ensure essential food prices within the reach of people because being guardian of the people the Khalifah (Caliph) is responsible for the fulfilment of the basic needs of all citizen. The Messenger of Allah (saw) says:
«مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يَسْتَرْعِيهِ اللَّهُ رَعِيَّةً يَمُوتُ يَوْمَ يَمُوتُ وَهُوَ غَاشٌّ لِرَعِيَّتِهِ إِلَّا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ»
“A ruler who, having obtained control over the affairs of the Muslims, does not strive for their betterment and does not serve them sincerely shall not enter Paradise.” (Muslim).
Kamal Abu Zaid
Member of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Bangladesh