Speakers at a discussion yesterday urged the government to control and bring down the prices of essentials so that they remain within the reach of common people.

They also placed a number of measures to check price spiral, such as ensuring adequate supply of essential items to the market, dismantling the price hike syndicate and establishing strong monitoring system in the market.

Citizens' Rights Movement organised the discussion titled 'Causes of price hike in agricultural and consumer products and possible remedies: Necessity of changing food habit' at the National Press Club in the city.

Senior journalist ABM Musa said common people are not much interested to know everything that causes the price hike. What they want is price stability and the government should ensure that the prices of essentials remain within the reach of common people, he

added.

Economist Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman said the prices would remain stable if the market has an adequate supply of products. Sometimes, the market is dominated by unscrupulous business syndicate who are responsible for the price hike, he said, adding that the government should take necessary measures to dismantle such syndicates.

He also suggested generating productive employment in the country so that common people can benefit from it.

Former Jatiya Party lawmaker GM Kader said the government should launch rationing system in remote areas, which would continue until the prices become stable.

Former secretary Abul Kalam

Azad said the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh should be given more autonomy so that it can play an effective role in controlling prices of essentials.

Former director general of BDR Maj Gen (retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman suggested strong monitoring of the markets by law enforcers to keep prices under control.

Secretary General of Citizens' Rights Movement Tushar Rahman read out a written statement at the programme presided over by adviser to the organisation Group Captain (retd) Muhammad Alfaz.

Journalist Syed Abul Maksud, former Jatiya Party lawmaker Sheikh Shahidul Islam and former director of Bangladesh Jute Board Sirajul Huq Khan also spoke.