Dhaka, Apr 26 (UNB) - Like Sunday, the meeting to fix a ‘rational’ rate of yarn and to consider yarn imports through Benapole Port apparently ended without any conclusive decision again on Monday too, although the Textiles and Jute Minister termed it fruitful.

“All the stakeholders are happy, but we haven’t fixed any price. I hope everything will remain at a rational level,” said Abdul Latif Siddiqui while briefing reporters after the meeting at the Ministry.

He termed the outcome of the meeting as fruitful adding, “There will be an understanding among them (BGMEA, BTMA, BKMEA etc) and the market will be stable again.”

Meeting sources said that the BKMEA and BGMEA proposed to fix the price of per kilogram yarn in between US $ 3.60 to US $ 3.80 but the BTMA thinks that the price cannot be reduced from US $ 4 to 4.1.

The Textiles and Jute Minister, however, lamented that ill forces are being active to destabilize the government even in the recent price hike of yarn.

He said that the illegitimate capital of the military rulers and those who opposes the trial of the war criminals are behind the scene in destabilizing the market of yarn.

Answering a question, he said that the issue to import yarn through Benapole Port was discussed in the meeting but there was no decision in this regard, nor on forming a committee to rationalize price.

“In the free global market, everyone will have to be clear to their own morales,” he added.

Chaired by Abdul Latif Siddiqui, the meeting was attended among others by Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Abdus Salam Murshedy, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) president Md Fazlul Hoque, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) acting president Monzurul Hoque and Bangladesh Specialised Textile Mills & Power Loom Industries Association (BSTMPLIA) member secretary Sheikh Abdul Hakim.

BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy said that the price of yarn in the local market did not increase rationally in comparison to the international market.

He hoped that the yarn price, which increased to US $1 over the last few days, would come to a stable situation adding, “From now on, impractical and irrational price would not be taken.”

BKMEA 2nd vice president MA Baset said that they had had discussions over fixing the rational price considering the price of production but were yet to arrive at any concrete decision.

He, however, thinks that the two-day meeting would build up pressure on those who shoot up the price.

BTMA Director Md. Mosharraf Hossain said that they would sit with their association so that the yarn price could not increase further adding, “The price may remain in between US $ 4 to 4.1 and there is no scope for price reduction,”

He, however, ruled out the allegation by his rivals that the yarn price shot up three times in a day adding, “We will try to keep up the present market price and hope that there will be no further price hike.”