Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi has said the government will strengthen monitoring to prevent price hike of commodities during the holy month of Ramadan.

“There is enough stock of essentials in the country. So, there is no reason to increase price of essentials in the name of short supply,” he said.

Tipu Munshi came up with the remarks on Wednesday while addressing an inter- ministerial meeting on stock, supply, import situation and prices of commodities ahead of Ramadan.

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The meeting held at the conference room of the Commerce Ministry at the secretariat.

He said the field administration has been asked to take stern action against those who are trying to increase price of commodities creating artificial crisis or hoarding goods illegally.

“The government has taken all possible steps so that people can buy commodities at affordable prices. Everything will be done to protect the interest of producers and consumers. All measures have been taken to keep the stock, supply and price of essential commodities normal,” the commerce minister told reporters.

He said the government will sell sugar, edible oil, lentils, onions and chickpeas among 1 crore people across the country through TCB during Ramadan.

The commerce minister said that the government will not allow sale of loose soybean oil after May 31 and sale of loose palm oil after December 16.

The government has decided that all edible oil will be bottled or packaged and sold at a fixed price to ensure the fair price.

Read: Veggies’ price soars due to untimely rains & intermediaries: Agriculture secy

The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection under the Ministry of Commerce and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) have intensified market monitoring, Munshi said.

The meeting was chaired by Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Chairperson of the Bangladesh Competition Commission Mofizul Islam, Chairman of the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (Secretary) Md. Afzal Hossain, member of the National Board of Revenue Masud Sadiq, FBCCI President Jasim Uddin, TCB Chairman Brigadier General  Md. Ariful Hasan, Director (Administration) of Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection Manzoor Mohammad Shahriar, representatives of Ministry of Industries, DGFI, NSI, BGB, among others, were present at the meeting.