Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Dr Shafiqur Rahman said traders should unite to resist 'silent extortion' in markets.
He made the remarks while visiting the Shah Ali Wholesale Market in the Mirpur-1 area of the capital on Tuesday.
During the visit, traders told him that many shops in the Shah Ali Kancha Bazar, which were originally rented by the government for Tk 5,000, are now being sublet for as much as Tk 150,000.
The traders said this has created extra pressure on businesses. They also complained about silent extortion in the market but said many people are afraid to reveal who is involved.
In response, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said resistance must come through unity.
"We have to resist together. If the traders want, we are ready to resist," he said.
The opposition leader said the market situation has become more unstable than before and recently the condition appears to have worsened further.
"There is a huge market here. Shopkeepers say silent extortion is taking place. Those who want to speak are being suppressed," he said.
He questioned who was behind the extortion and added, "No one comes from the jungles of Africa to extort here. The people who live here are doing it. We all know their identities."
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman also said that extortion in the country could be stopped if lawmakers sincerely wanted to do so.
"Everyone must unite to stop activities that create extra pressure on ordinary people," he said.
He said common people are struggling badly because of rising costs, especially low-income groups.
"People are gasping for breath. For low-income families, survival has become very difficult now," he said.
He added that political leaders should understand the real market situation instead of only focusing on politics.
"We did not come here for exercise. We came to understand the market," he said.
