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extortion at at least seven spots on the road from Mahasthangarh Bazar in Bogura to wholesale markets in Dhaka.

Traders from Jashore and Manikganj have reported similar experiences.

The report also said traders are forced to pay a “market development fee” of Tk 1,200 to Tk 1,500 per truck, depending on the vehicle size, at wholesale markets in and near Dhaka.

This money is distributed among “government and non-government agencies”, political parties, and others, it added.

The report also mentions that middlemen play a big role in setting vegetable prices in Dhaka’s retail markets, and on average, a middleman makes about Tk 8,000 to Tk 10,000 each night.

However, they do not pay income tax because they do not exist in the taxation system, it said.

For this, the government loses a lot of tax revenue while consumers pay higher prices, it added.

Receipts are non-existent and trade is carried out verbally, enabling traders to frequently increase or decrease product prices at their own discretion, it said.

Although several policies related to proper agricultural market management have been formulated over time, they are not implemented due to a lack of effective coordination, it further said.

The number of cold storage and warehouse facilities for preserving vegetables is inadequate, making it difficult to store perishable goods properly during times of high yields, it added.

As a result, during such periods, farmers are often forced to sell their produce at prices lower than their production costs, it mentioned.

The report outlines several recommendations.

These include controlling middlemen, establishing government-run centres for buying and selling products at fair prices, taking appropriate measures to stop extortion, and strengthening highway patrols by law enforcement agencies.

One suggestion is constructing modern cold storage and preservation facilities in regions where vegetable cultivation is concentrated.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Enamul Haque Sagor, assistant inspector general for media and PR at Bangladesh Police, said they have requested businesspeople to submit written complaints regarding extortion to the relevant police station.