Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder blamed dense fog and the activities surrounding the recently held general election for the recent rice price hike across the country.
At a view exchange meeting with Rajshahi divisional field level officers, the minister said: "Due to dense fog and 11th general election, plying vehicles from one place to another were halted and the prices of the food grain increased Tk1 to Tk2."
He, however, claimed that prices of different varieties of rice across the country returned to normalcy.
"The prices have become steady due to the government's quick intervention," Sadhan said during the meeting at Naogaon Circuit house.
"As per the order of the prime minister, food monitoring teams have been formed across the country to hold the food grain market steady," he added.
A Dhaka Tribune investigation found that rice millers and wholesalers across the country were cashing in on the prediction of a serious political instability in the country that many feared would follow the December 30 general election. The crisis never happened, but they have gone ahead and hiked rice prices at consumer level.
Also Read- What is causing the latest rice price hike?
Both parties hold each other responsible for the latest upward trend in rice prices as happened before, the Dhaka Tribune learnt after speaking with several mill owners and wholesalers.
Interestingly enough, all millers, importers and wholesalers admitted that there was adequate production, stock and supply of rice in the country.
In the past two weeks, prices soared by Tk150-250 per 50-kg sack in Kushtia, Naogaon, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Pabna and Jessore, according to the Bangladesh Auto Major Husking Mill Owners’ Association (BAMHMOA).
Among others, the Naogaon 5 constituency MP Nizam Uddin Jalil John, Naogaon 3 constituency MP Md Salim Uddin Tarafder, Superintendent of Police Iqbal Hossain and divisional officers were present on the occasion with Deputy Commissioner of Naogaon Md Mizanur Rahman in the chair.