National
Ministry of Commerce Takes Steps to Control Essential Prices for Ramadan
The government is set to implement additional measures to ensure the stability of supply and prices for essential items in the kitchen markets during the upcoming Holy Month of Ramadan.
Emphasizing the importance of maintaining stability in supply and prices, the Ministry of Commerce is prioritizing efforts to control the prices of essential goods. The ministry is actively gathering information on the stock, imports, and the opening of Letters of Credit (LCs) for essential items. Necessary actions will be taken based on data collected regarding the supply situation for each commodity.
Following the Jatiya Sangsad election scheduled for January 7, the Ministry of Commerce plans to conduct meetings with relevant stakeholders to discuss and address any challenges identified through the collected data.
Senior Secretary of the Commerce Ministry, Tapan Kanti Ghosh, stated, “Our main target is to prevent any goods crisis during the Holy Month of Ramadan due to excessive demand, while also maintaining price stability. We are collecting data on stock levels, imports, and LCs. Meetings with stakeholders will be held after the election.”
Ghosh highlighted the ministry’s focus on ensuring a smooth import process for essential items and conducting special supervision to inspect stock products in the market, along with checking the price lists. He cautioned that strict legal action would be taken against those attempting to create an artificial crisis in the market.
Traditionally, ahead of the Holy Month of Ramadan each year, the Ministry of Commerce undertakes special initiatives to monitor the supply and price lists of essential items such as rice, wheat, edible oil, sugar, lentils, chickpeas, onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, dry chili, eggs, and dates.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds at most places across the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas may experience moderately heavy to very heavy rainfall, according to their latest weather bulletin released on Thursday.
Day and night temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged across the country.
The highest rainfall in the country over the past 24 hours was recorded in Kumarkhali, with 104mm of rain by 6 a.m. on Thursday.
The axis of the monsoon trough extends from India’s Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal to Assam, passing through Bangladesh, with one of its associated troughs stretching into the North Bay of Bengal.
The monsoon remains active over Bangladesh and moderate to strong over the North Bay region.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted that the mild heat wave currently affecting parts of the country, including the capital, is expected to subside in most areas within the next 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.
“A mild heat wave is sweeping across the divisions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Sylhet, as well as the districts of Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia. It is likely to ease in most regions,” the department reported.
In addition, BMD predicted light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, across most of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas are expected to experience moderate to very heavy rainfall.
Temperatures across the country may drop by 1-2 degrees Celsius during both day and night.
On Monday, Dinajpur in the Rangpur division recorded the country’s highest temperature at 38.6°C, while Bandarban in the Chattogram division saw the lowest temperature at 24.6°C early today.
Meanwhile, rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours, ending at 6 am today, reached 66 mm in Nikli of Dhaka Division.
The sunset in Dhaka is at 5:53 pm today, and sunrise is expected at 5:49 am tomorrow.
Two separate murder cases were filed today in connection with the deaths of a private service holder and a Madrasa student during the anti-discrimination student movement.
The first case was lodged by Ridwan Ahmed with Panchlaish police station, accusing former ministers Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, and 127 others for the death of his nephew Sujan, 14. Sujan, the son of Belal Hossain from Beramara village in Noakhali’s Sadar Thana, was a student at Al Jamirul Hayat Madrasa in the city’s Chandgaon area. He was fatally shot in the Muradpur area on July 18.
The second case was filed by Jamal Uddin at Doublemooring police station, accusing 225 individuals, including Dr. Hasan Mahmud and Education Minister Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, for the killing of his elder brother Alam, a private service holder, on August 5.
