Online Desk:  Instead of extortion, the reason behind the price hike of daily commodities is the higher profits of the traders, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Saturday.

“How the prices of commodities have increased after taken those from Karwan Bazar to another bazars and how much they paid as toll till the truck enters Dhaka, all we are verified”.

The minister made the comment at a programme at Bangladesh Police Staff College in Mirpur in the capital today.

He said, “The prices of essentials are hiked in Dhaka due to the higher profits of the traders, instead of extortion. Police special drives are on to protect extortion.

“Dhaka-Chattogram highway have already under CCTV cameras to stop extortion. In future, all highways will be brought under CCTVs.”

Regarding extortion at passenger’s buses and goods-laden trucks, Asaduzzaman Khan said that police and RAB personnel are on high alert ahead of Eid.