Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said on Wednesday that the initiative has been taken to stock seven daily essentials and ensure adequate supply to keep their prices stable during the fasting month of Ramadan.
The minister said this while speaking at the 5th meeting of the ‘Task Force on Review of Commodity Prices and Market Situation’ held at the conference hall of the Ministry of Commerce at the Secretariat on Wednesday.
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He said necessary measures have been taken to ensure supply of edible oil, sugar, lentil, onion, dates, rice, and wheat as per the demand.
He said despite some difficulties in LC opening due to the current global situation necessary action has been taken to disburse foreign currencies through banks for LC opening to facilitate imports of essential commodities.
“The government of India has been informed not to stop the export of some essential items without prior notice. In addition, the Indian government has ensured supply of essentials as per Bangladesh's requirement,” the minister said.
He reassured that there will be no shortage of the essential commodities and the prices will remain normal considering all these aspects.
“Market monitoring will be intensified to keep the situation normal and there is no need to buy large quantities of these goods at once before the start of the Ramadan. The country's media can play an important role in creating public awareness in this regard,” the minister said.
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Prime Minister's Advisor on Private Industry and Investment Salman F Rahman attended the meeting while Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Tapan Kanti Ghosh presided over the programme.
Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission Chairman Mahfuza Akhtar, Bangladesh Competition Commission Chairperson Pradeep Ranjan Chakraborty, Bangladesh Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) Chairman Brigadier General Md. Ariful Hasan, Director General of National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate AHM Shafiquzzaman, NBR’s representative Khandkar Nazmul Haque, Director (Foreign Exchange Operations) of Bangladesh Bank Abdul Haque, First Vice President of FBCCI Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu, representative of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Kazi Md. Abdul Hannan, representatives of TK Group, City Group and various intelligence and security agencies were also present at the meeting.