Within the last two weeks prices of different varieties of rice have unusually increased by 20 to 25 permcent when harvesting of winter paddy has almost concluded. The large millers received short-term huge loans from agriculture banks and commercial banks, hoarded rice, reduced supply in markets. Bangladesh Bank (BB) instructed all banks to realise such loans within one month. Magically the price of rice started coming down within one week. BB should repeat the same measure to protect the interest of the common consumers.

Md Ashraf Hossain

Ramna, Dhaka

mah120cb@yahoo.com