Commerce ministry working to keep prices and supply of essentials stable

Amid growing concern over the spread of coronavirus, the commerce ministry is working with field level administration and law enforcement agencies in a bid to keep supply of daily essentials and its prices in a stable state.

A high-level committee, in line with the directive of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, is working under the supervision of Commerce Secretary Dr Md Zafar Uddin to ensure smooth supply of daily essentials during the 10-day general holiday.

Adequate assistance is being given to the country's private sector to make the efforts a success, a press release of the commerce ministry said today.

Abdur Rahim Khan, joint secretary of the ministry, Ashrafur Rahman, senior assistant secretary and Md Ziaur Rahman, assistant commerce adviser of the ministry, have been given the charge to oversee the market management system and information relating to import and export, the statement said.

All leaves of the staff and officials of the Directorate of National Consumers' Rights and the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) under the ministry have been cancelled to face the challenges, the press release said.

The Directorate of National Consumers' Rights is carrying out drives in different markets while the TCB is continuing selling commodities at a subsidised rate at field level by setting up a control room with a telephone number (02-55013447).