Prices of news print and white print are on the rise day by day as a well-organised syndicate is making huge profits, creating instability in the country's paper market for long.

Sources said, a section of merchants are increasing the price of different kinds of paper in the local market on the plea of price spiral of the commodities in the foreign markets.

While talking to this correspondent, some businessmen in the citiy's Nayabazar wholesale market said, price of news print increased by Taka 10,000 per ton over last few days.

A retailer in the city's Arambagh named Mohammad Younus said, demand for locally-manufactured news prints has increased largely in the country as the traders are apparently reluctant to import the product from abroad as a result of imposition of excess import duty in this regard. So, a section of paper mills owners and traders are increasing price of the item through controlling the newsprint supply in the market.
Unbridled price rise of all sorts of papers is posing a serious threat to existence of the country's printing sector, including the newspaper industry, packaging industry etc.

Now-a-days a huge quantity of newsprint is manufactured in the country. Gazipur Paper Mills, Shahjalal Paper Mills (Basundhara Group), Magura Paper Mills (Magura Group), Younus Paper Mills, Sonali Paper Mills, City Paper Mills, Islamia Paper Mills, RS Paper Mills and Ananta Paper Mills are producing newsprint along with different kinds of paper.
Newsprint is mainly used in the newspaper industry. Newsprint is also widely used by the students as it is cheaper than white print. Besides, this kind of paper is used in printing books. So, there is a rising demand for newsprint in the country.

Availing themselves of the increased demand for newsprint in the local market, a section of paper mills owner in connivance with the corrupt businessmen have been making a huge profit by creating an artificial crisis of paper.

Basundhara and Magura group-made newsprint is widely used in the country. So, price of these two kinds of newsprint is very high.
Per ton newsprint (Normal) was selling at Taka 58,000 yesterday against Taka 48,000 last week. On Sunday, newsprint (Super) was selling at Taka 60,000 compared to Taka 50,000 per ton one week ago.