Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has said visible improvements in market management will be seen soon, asserting that the overall supply situation remains stable despite concerns over price fluctuations during Ramadan.
He made the remarks after conducting a surprise inspection at the Mohammadpur Town Hall Kitchen Market in the capital on Monday afternoon, where he checked product prices and interacted with traders and consumers.
“We have come to monitor the market to see whether goods are being sold at the correct prices,” the minister told journalists during the visit.
He said supply levels are adequate and that the government is closely supervising market activities to prevent unjustified price hikes.
The minister warned that individuals attempting to exploit the holy month of Ramadan through price manipulation would face legal action.
He acknowledged that while the government has introduced various measures to stabilise the market, implementation will take time.
Khandaker Abdul Muktadir noted that the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection has deployed 10 monitoring teams to oversee market activities and ensure traders remain aware that they are under surveillance.
However, he said it is not practical to monitor every market simultaneously in a large city like Dhaka.
Addressing allegations of syndication, the minister said authorities are closely watching to ensure that the market is not controlled by a small group of traders.
He urged businesspeople to uphold religious values during Ramadan and refrain from excessive profiteering.
He also stated that prices of several imported goods under the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) remain comparatively lower than last year.
State Minister Md Shariful Alam, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, Director General of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection Faruk Ahmed and Additional Secretary IIT Shibir Bichitra Barua were also present during the inspection.
Later on, the minister visited Karwan Bazar’s wholesale kitchen market, where he exchanged views with traders and consumers to assess the broader market situation.
