Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed has said the government is keeping the prices of essentials stable in the greater interests of the consumers.
The minister made the remarks in reply to a query of treasury bench member Nijam Hajari of Feni 2 in the House on Thursday, BSS reported.
He said various pragmatic steps have been taken with the help of different ministries and agencies to stop the price hike of the necessary commodities.
"Fourteen teams under the auspices of the commerce ministry are monitoring the market, realising fine and enforcing punishment on those found involved in market manipulation," said the minister.
Referring to a scripted question of M Abdul Latif of Chittagong 11 constituency, Tofail said the present government has taken a step to export 50,000 metric tones of boiled rice to Sri Lanka.
"We would consider such export if the sufficiency of the rice can be ensured in future," he said.