TDS Desk:

Jatiya Nagorik Committee Chief Organizer Sarjis Alam has expressed concerns over the prevailing law and order situation, saying that the expected improvements remain largely unseen and expectations from the interim government’s advisers are diminishing.

Speaking at a policy dialogue titled “Rational Pricing of Food Products: Exploring Market Oversight Strategies”, organized by Bonik Barta at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka on Sunday, Sarjis highlighted critical issues affecting the market system.

He also noted that the initial optimism surrounding the advisers of the interim government is gradually diminishing.

He pointed out that major importers dictate the sources and quantities of imports for smaller and medium-sized importers, leading to a system of collusion rather than competition.

“Instead of fostering a competitive market, a handful of entities have established a cooperative arrangement that undermines fair competition,” he said.

Sarjis further emphasized that extortion in the market persists as before, with political parties exerting control over these illicit activities and syndicates.

“To restore a healthy market system, the genuine goodwill of major political parties is essential. No matter how much businesses, civil society, or the advisory council strive for market reforms, a functional system cannot be reinstated without political commitment,” he asserted.

He also acknowledged that all stakeholders in the market system bear some level of responsibility.

“We have seen businesses leveraging their influence whenever possible. However, the time has come to engage in an open discussion about each party’s role and accountability. We must have the courage to address these issues honestly,” he urged.

Expressing his frustration over the gap between discussions and implementation, Sarjis said: “Numerous well-intentioned discussions take place in various forums, but we rarely see effective execution. The interim government has many well-meaning individuals, including members of the advisory council. Either they believe that everyone in Bangladesh inherently has good intentions or they assume that things will naturally improve over time. However, that is unrealistic.”

He further said: “For decades, systemic corruption has become deeply ingrained in our culture. To dismantle this and establish a reformed system, stringent measures are necessary. Unfortunately, we do not yet see the level of improvement in law and order that we had anticipated. Our expectations from the advisors are gradually declining.”

He concluded by calling for an end to the legacy of extortion and corruption, urging political leaders to act responsibly.

He added that greed should be eliminated for the greater good of the people, noting that wealth, whether in cash or assets, is not permanent.

He also stressed that the longstanding practice of looting disguised as extortion must be stopped, placing the responsibility on politicians to bring about this change.