Several wholesalers and individual businessmen in Manikganj, Faridpur, Pabna and Narayanganj were fined yesterday for selling green chillies at inflated prices.

The fines were imposed by the Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection, which conducted raids at the districts' different markets.

The raids came as Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi yesterday told journalists in Rangpur that the price of green chillies shot up suddenly due to opportunist businessmen. However, the price has already dropped after its import began, he added.

In Manikganj, five businesses were fined Tk 7,000 each for selling green chillies at high prices and failing to provide cash memos.

The businesses were selling green chillies, which they bought for Tk 160 per kilogram, at Tk 350-400 per kilogram, said Assaduzzaman Rumel, assistant director of Manikganj district DNCRP.

In Faridpur, DNCRP fined five business entities Tk 16,000 each for selling green chillies and sugar at inflated prices, according to Md Sohel Sheikh, assistant director of the district's DNCRP.

In Pabna, the DNCRP raided various markets in the district for selling chillies at excessive prices and fined

Four wholesalers were fined Tk 5,000 each for selling chillies at excessive prices, said Mahamud Hasan Rony, assistant director of Pabna district DNCRP.

Meanwhile, the price of green chillies has started to come down in the district with the addition of imported Indian chillies.

The local variety is selling at Tk 200-250 per kg and the other varieties at less than Tk 200.

In Narayanganj, DNCRP conducted a raid at Dighubabur Bazar and fined a wholesaler Tk 1,000 for selling green chillies at high prices.

"I fixed the price of green chillies at Tk 100 per kg and the green chillies were subsequently sold at that rate," said Md Selimuzzaman, assistant director of Narayanganj district DNCRP.

However, after the DNCRP team left the market, consumers reported that wholesalers and retailers resumed selling green chillies at Tk 200-280 a kg.