Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder has called for best practices in the rice business for the sake of ensuring its stable market price.
"We urgently need all-out cooperation of millers, dealers and traders to keep the rice price static for welfare of the public in general as rice is their staple food," he said.
The minister was addressing a divisional level view-sharing meeting styled "Way forward of preventing illegal stock and marker monitoring" at the conference hall of Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner Monday as the chief guest.
Officials of administration, police, food, agriculture and other line departments along with rice millers, dealers, traders and other stakeholders from all eight districts in the division joined the meeting and some of them took part in its open discussion sharing their views on the issue.
Lawmakers Ayeen Uddin and Samil Uddin Ahmed Shimul were present at the meeting.
Food Secretary Nazmanara Khanum, Director General of Food Md Shakhawat Hossain, Deputy Inspector General of Police Abdul Baten, and Commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Abu Kalam Siddique also spoke.
Divisional Commissioner GSM Habibullah presided over the meeting.
Food Minister Sadhan Majumder said the country has attained bumper production of the last boro and aman rice, so there is no reason for rice price hike.
He urged the local civil and police administration to take action against any hoarding of rice. There will be no scope of illegal storage of rice with ulterior motives of making profit. Law violators must be brought to book.
The minister said they are working relentlessly to keep the rice price static throughout the country and urged all to extend their wholehearted cooperation to make the effort successful.
He said the rice dealers and millers should extend cooperation in terms of giving information about the unscrupulous businessmen.
"We are trying to establish transparency and accountability in the activities of the food ministry, department and district and upazila level offices," he said, adding stern action will be taken against the officials and employees who will be found guilty.
