Special monitoring teams to control rice prices

The government has formed seven special monitoring committees to control rice prices by stopping the

operation of syndicates.

This decision has been taken in light of the recent surge in the prices across the country.

Of late, prices of rice have witnessed a rise of Tk. 2–3 a kg even without any supply crunch.

Four such monitoring committees, under the food ministry, are expected to check rice prices in Dhaka’s major wholesale rice markets. The three others, under the Directorate of Food, will oversee the prices in other places.

Food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said

this to reporters after a high-level meeting with food and other related department officials at the Secretariat yesterday.

The committees have been asked to submit reports to the food ministry and the Directorate of Food after collecting the market price of rice, the food minister said.

The food ministry has formed the committees to prevent anyone from raising rice prices through the formation of syndicates and the creation of an artificial crisis in the market, he added.

“Rice prices have to be adjusted with paddy prices. It has to be ensured so that the mill owners and traders cannot take undue advantage,” Sadhan Chandra Majumder said.

This should be done to ensure that farmers get a fair price and consumers can buy rice at reasonable rates, he added.

The food minister has directed senior officials to take strict legal action against anyone found destabilising the rice market.

Two separate office orders were signed by food ministry deputy secretary Mohammad Shamim Hassan and Directorate of Food director-general Sarwar Mahmud regarding the formation of the monitoring committees.

The committees’ work involves the monitoring and submitting of the market rates after visiting various wholesale markets in the Dhaka metropolitan area. They will also prepare reports after collecting the present market rates and comparing them with the market rates of the two previous days. Data on the sale and purchase prices of rice and flour would also be gathered.

The chiefs of the committees will conduct daily market surveys.

Joint secretary Kamar Jahan will lead Committee-1, deputy secretary Rayna Ahmad Committee-2; deputy secretary Shamim Hasan Committee-3, and assistant secretary Tahmina Khan Committee-4 of the food ministry. On the other hand, additional director Reza Mohammad Mohsin will head Committee-1, senior instructor Nakib Saad Syful Islam Committee-2, and additional director Amjad Hossain Committee-3 formed by the Directorate of Food. Each committee has two members.

A control room has been opened at the food ministry. Anybody can lodge complaints regarding market prices by calling

02-9540027 or the cell phone number 01642967727.

 

Special monitoring teams to control rice prices

The government has formed seven special monitoring committees to control rice prices by stopping the operation of syndicates. This decision has been taken in light of the recent surge in the prices across the country. Of late, prices of rice have witnessed a rise of Tk. 23 a kg even without any supply crunch. Four such monitoring committees, under the food ministry, are expected to check rice prices in Dhakas major wholesale rice markets. The three others, under the Directorate of Food, will oversee the prices in other places. Food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said this to reporters after a high-level meeting with food and other related department officials at the Secretariat yesterday. The committees have been asked to submit reports to the food ministry and the Directorate of Food after collecting the market price of rice, the food minister said. The food ministry has formed the committees to prevent anyone from raising rice prices through the formation of syndicates and the creation of an artificial crisis in the market, he added. Rice prices have to be adjusted with paddy prices. It has to be ensured so that the mill owners and traders cannot take undue advantage, Sadhan Chandra Majumder said. This should be done to ensure that farmers get a fair price and consumers can buy rice at reasonable rates, he added. The food minister has directed senior officials to take strict legal action against anyone found destabilising the rice market. Two separate office orders were signed by food ministry deputy secretary Mohammad Shamim Hassan and Directorate of Food director-general Sarwar Mahmud regarding the formation of the monitoring committees. The committees work involves the monitoring and submitting of the market rates after visiting various wholesale markets in the Dhaka metropolitan area. They will also prepare reports after collecting the present market rates and comparing them with the market rates of the two previous days. Data on the sale and purchase prices of rice and flour would also be gathered. The chiefs of the committees will conduct daily market surveys. Joint secretary Kamar Jahan will lead Committee-1, deputy secretary Rayna Ahmad Committee-2; deputy secretary Shamim Hasan Committee-3, and assistant secretary Tahmina Khan Committee-4 of the food ministry. On the other hand, additional director Reza Mohammad Mohsin will head Committee-1, senior instructor Nakib Saad Syful Islam Committee-2, and additional director Amjad Hossain Committee-3 formed by the Directorate of Food. Each committee has two members. A control room has been opened at the food ministry. Anybody can lodge complaints regarding market prices by calling 02-9540027 or the cell phone number 01642967727.