The government has reconstituted 42 teams that are already working to monitor the price movements and prevent abnormal situations in the city markets, officials said.
The government intends to closely monitor the price situation with a view to keeping the prices of essentials within the buying capacity of common people, said a high official of the Ministry of Commerce.
The reconstituted watchdog teams, formed earlier this month, are currently monitoring the wholesale and retail prices of essentials in the areas under two Dhaka city corporations.
They will also collect price data and gather information on stock and supply of essentials during their drives.
If any kind of abnormal situation arises in the market, the teams will take actions by punishing the traders or the businesspeople concerned through on-the-spot mobile courts.
The teams will also take stringent actions against the manipulators using the existing legal provisions of the country to ensure normal prices of essential items.
Each of the 42 teams consists of six members drawn from different ministries, Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, police and Dhaka south and north city corporations, according to the commerce ministry.
The teams formed for the Dhaka south and north city corporation markets started their drives on April 02. The drives will continue until the middle of June.
Commerce Ministry Additional Secretary A K M Ali Ahad Khan is the coordinator of the market monitoring teams.
Prices of key essential items often show a significant rise in the country.
However, the monitoring teams have failed to play a proper role in keeping the prices of essentials stable and at a tolerable level, experts said.
No visible impact was noticed with regard to prices of some key items, especially rice and onion, in recent times despite efforts by the monitoring teams, they said.
"We often sit to evaluate the activities of the teams monitoring the prices of essential items in the capital city. We direct the teams to be more careful about their respective duties and activities throughout the year," a senior official of the commerce ministry told the FE.
The prices of essential commodities remain stable due to steps taken by the government, he claimed.
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