DHAKA, Aug 17, 2026 (BSS) - The Cabinet today approved a proposal to reduce the applicable duties and taxes on imports of green chilli and tomato for a specific period to ensure uninterrupted supply of the essential commodities and keep their prices at affordable levels.

The Cabinet gave approval to the proposal initiated by the Internal Resources Division at its 17th meeting with the aim of ensuring food security, maintaining price stability of essential commodities and protecting consumers' purchasing power.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired the meeting at the Cabinet Division conference room in the Bangladesh Secretariat here.

Green chilli and tomato are among the widely consumed essential agricultural commodities in Bangladesh. Their prices often rise sharply due to seasonal production, natural disasters, adverse weather, disruptions in supply chains and production shortages, creating additional financial pressure on consumers.

Under the approved proposal, the overall tax burden on imports of green chilli and tomato will be reduced from the existing 61 percent to 20.5 percent during the first month after issuance of the relevant notification and to 31 percent during the following month.

The measure has been taken in the public interest to ensure a steady supply of the commodities in the market and keep their prices within an affordable range.