Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin spoke after a taskforce committee on reviewing commodity prices and market situation at the commerce ministry conference room in the city. Photo: PID

DHAKA, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS) - Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin today said that prices of essentials will remain under control in the upcoming holy month of Ramadan and potentially better than the previous year as the government has already taken all-out preparations to this effect.
 
“The supply chain for consumer goods is normal. Business representatives have assured us that price levels will remain stable, mirroring the conditions of last year or, in some cases, showing a downward trend,” he said.
 
The adviser  was  speaking after a taskforce committee on reviewing commodity prices and market situation at the commerce ministry conference room in the city.
 
In his speech, Bashir emphasized that their optimism is based on a quantitative analysis of imports and production.
 
A review of Bangladesh Bank data reveals that average imports have increased by approximately 40% compared to last year, he added.
 
Based on this analysis, he expected that the market will be even more stable than the previous year.
 
 Addressing concerns about market manipulation, he stated that its monitoring system is active daily.
 
However, he said, monitoring efforts by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection will be significantly reinforced specifically for Ramadan.
 
 
Regarding specific concerns about edible oil prices, he clarified that there is currently no gas or dollar crisis, and the exchange rate remains stable.
 
To foster competition, he said, the government has diversified the market by integrating approximately 500,000 tons of locally produced Rice Bran Oil.
 
Consequently, retail prices are reportedly lower than the government-fixed rates due to increased market competition, he added.