Government inaction: The interim government led by Professor Yunus has not taken significant steps to tackle extortion, hoarding, and irrational price-fixing of essential commodities.

Persistent inflation: Inflation has remained persistently high, with rates above 9% since March 2023.

Lack of effective measures: Despite attempts to sell essential commodities through the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.

Consumer strain: High and rising prices of essential food commodities and overall inflation are major concerns.

The interim government, led by Professor Yunus, has failed to implement meaningful measures to address critical economic irregularities such as extortion, hoarding, and the irrational price-fixing of essential commodities, despite persistently high inflation, according to a report by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

Expressing disappointment, CPD Executive Director Fahmida Khatun stated during a briefing on Tuesday, "It is regrettable that the steps taken by the interim government have so far been ineffective in reducing the prices of essential goods." The briefing, held at the think tank's office, was part of the CPD's assessment of Bangladesh's economic outlook for the fiscal year 2024-25.

While the CPD acknowledged the government's efforts to distribute certain key commodities through agencies like the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh to ease the burden on consumers, it criticized the lack of robust measures to address the systemic issues fueling price hikes. Inflation in Bangladesh has remained stubbornly high, consistently exceeding 9 percent since March 2023.

In its report, the CPD highlighted that the rising costs of essential food items and persistent inflation continue to pose significant challenges to the economy. "Food inflation, in particular, remains a major driver of overall inflation, placing additional strain on households already struggling with economic pressures," the report noted. The think tank emphasized the urgent need for more effective policies to tackle the root causes of these economic disruptions and provide relief to the public.

Full Report: https://www.protectbangladesh.org/show-pdf-details/yunus-govt-fails-to-curb-extortion-hoarding-and-soaring-prices-cpd-report-1738151221