Task force Will Be Formed to Prevent Hoarders: Home Min

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said that the task force will be formed to prevent edible oil hoarders.

He made the remarks after an inter-ministerial meeting at the Cabinet Division on Sunday (March 13) evening.

The home minister said action would be taken if the goods were stored. VAT on daily necessities is being considered to be revoked.

He said the government was trying to keep soybean oil prices tolerable.

Earlier, four ministers and a state minister sat in the meeting to review the commodity price situation and market in the wake of rising prices of essential commodities. The emergency meeting of the top level of the government started at 4 pm on Sunday (March 13) in the meeting room of the Cabinet Division at the Secretariat.

The meeting was chaired by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and attended by Agriculture Minister Md Abdur Razzak, Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, and State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid.

Besides, Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam, Senior Secretaries / Secretaries of various Ministries, Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, and other top law enforcement officials were present at the meeting.

Over the last few days, the prices of various daily commodities including edible oil, pulses, rice, flour, sugar, onion have gone up uncontrollably. The people of lower-middle-class and poor class have suffered in this. On the other hand, the holy month of Ramadan is starting from the first week of April. With the month of Ramadan looming, the market is expected to become more volatile.