The government has established a special task force at district level to monitor and review the market and supply situation of essential commodities.
The commerce ministry announced the formation of this task force in a notification issued on Monday, with additional district commissioner of each district appointed as its respective head.
In light of the rising prices of essential commodities, the government has created this task force in a bid to stabilise prices.聽
According to the commerce ministry notification, the task force would conduct regular spot visits to various markets, large warehouses, godowns, cold storage facilities and other key points in the supply chain to monitor the pricing of essential commodities.
It would also work to minimise price differences between production, wholesale, and consumer levels, holding consultation meetings with relevant stakeholders.
After conducting daily monitoring, the task force will send reports to the commodity price review and forecast cell of the commerce ministry and the central control room of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, according to the notification.
It also instructed the DNCRP to compile and review reports from various districts on a daily basis and send a consolidated report to the commerce ministry by 7:00pm on that day.
Members of the task force include additional superintendent of police, district food controller, district livestock officer, district fisheries officer, agricultural marketing officer or senior agricultural marketing officer, a representative from the Consumers Association of Bangladesh and two student representatives.
Assistant director of the DNCRP will act as member secretary of the task force, which may co-opt additional members if necessary, the notification said.
The prices of most essential commodities, including rice, eggs, broiler chicken and vegetables, continued to rise on the kitchen markets across the country in past three weeks.聽聽
Although the government set the logical prices of eggs and broiler chicken in mid-September, the commodities were not traded at the rate even for a single day.
The Department of Livestock Services on September 15 set the 鈥榬easonable prices鈥� for eggs, broiler chicken and Sonalika variety of chicken at Tk 11.87 apiece, Tk 179.59 a kilogram and Tk 269.64 a kilogram respectively.
After the government initiative, the prices of eggs increased by Tk 7-10 a hali (four pieces) in the past three weeks and the item sold for Tk 60-62 a hali on the city鈥檚 kitchen markets on Monday.
The price of broiler chicken increased by Tk 20-30 a kilogram and the item sold for Tk 200鈥�210 a kilogram on the day.
Sonalika variety of chicken sold for Tk 280鈥�290 a kilogram on the city markets.
The prices of rice also increased by Tk 2-3 a kilogram in past two weeks and coarse and medium-quality varieties of rice sold for Tk 58鈥�62 a kilogram.
Lower-grade Miniket sold for Tk 65-70 a kilogram.
The fine variety of Miniket sold for Tk 76鈥�80 a kilogram and Najirshail for Tk 85-90 a kilogram on Monday.
The prices of vegetables increased by Tk 10-20 a kilogram in the city in past two weeks.
Aubergine sold for Tk 120-150 a kilogram, papaya for Tk 40-50 a kilogram, bitter gourd for Tk 80-90 a kilogram, pointed guard for Tk 80 a kilogram and okra for Tk 80-90 a kilogram on Monday.
The price of green chillies increased by Tk 100-120 a kilogram and the item sold for Tk 350-400 a kilogram in the city on the day.
