The government has ordered arrest of eight businessmen who manipulated sugar price during the month of Ramdan.

"We have already identified these businessmen, and directed law enforcement agencies to take immediate action in this regard," Commerce Minister Faruk Khan told The Daily Star yesterday.

Earlier on the day, talking to reporters at his office, the minister said some unscrupulous businessmen were involved in manipulating sugar price. They procured sugar at lower prices from different mills, and sold it at much higher prices causing a price spiral.

Faruk Khan said, "Hopefully, we will get within a day or two the outcome of efforts to arrest the dishonest businessmen who caused sufferings to people by raising sugar price."

Price of sugar jumped to Tk 70 a kg while the government sold it at Tk 39 a kg to appointed dealers through Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB). Businessmen were supposed to sell sugar at a maximum price of Tk 42 per kg in retail markets.

Sources said National Security Intelligence (NSI) has been given the charge of investigating the price spiral of sugar and arresting the businessmen responsible for this. Those already identified are wholesalers, added the sources.