Post-budget briefing: Muhith, cabinet ministers face tough questions over prices

Government ministers were confronted with repeated queries about increased prices of essentials during the finance minister's traditional post-budget media briefing on Friday. When asked why the price of coarse rice was Tk62 in the market, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said the price hike of rice was not linked to his latest budget.

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“The rice prices were not so high at the beginning of this year. This is due to the crisis in the Haor areas,” he said. Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury echoed him, saying the flooding in the north-eastern Haor wetlands and the Blast infection of Boro paddy had affected the seasonal yield. Finance Minister AMA Muhith and some other members of the cabinet address a post-budget media conference at Dhaka's Osmani Auditorium on Friday, June 2, 2017 Asif Showkat Kallol/Dhaka TribuneBesides Muhith and Matia, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and Bangladesh Bank Governor Fazle Kabir fielded questions from journalists at Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

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Senior Finance Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamun, ERD Secretary Kazi Shafiqul Azam and Planning Secretary Md Ziaul Islam were present. The prime minister's Political Adviser HT Imam, Economic Adviser Moshiur Rahman, Principal Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Prime Minister's Office Secretary Suraya Begum and other senior government officials were present as well.