The authorities concerned have deployed eight special teams in the field to prevent the illegal stockpiling of paddy and rice. In a notice the Ministry of Food has informed this on Tuesday.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder at his office in the Secretariat. It was decided to send letters to the Deputy Commissioners and Upazila Nirbahi Officers to prevent illegal stockpiling and also to the NSI, RAB and the Directorate of National Consumers’ Right Protection. He also directed the officials to hold a joint meeting between the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Commerce soon.
Earlier on Monday, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder, who had virtually joined the online exchange meeting on internal procurement and market monitoring in the Boro 2022 season, said from his office room that everything would be done to take action against illegal hoarders. If necessary, for the convenience of the consumers rice would be imported at reduced tax.
He urged the traders to be humane towards the consumers without making extra profit.
He said that various corporate houses have been involved in buying paddy from the market. “We need to find out if they are creating an artificial crisis,” the minister said.
He directed the administration to create awareness so as not to intimidate the consumers as well as increase surveillance in the rice markets.
At the same time, care should be taken so that no farmer or mill owner is harassed in any way while collecting paddy and rice.
The team members will look into whether anyone is creating an artificial crisis by illegally hoarding the grains and will work to take legal action against the offenders. A control room has been opened in the Ministry of Food for this purpose. All have been requested to call and report any known illegal hoarding to the control room.
The meeting was attended by the acting secretary of the food ministry, additional secretaries, director general of the food department and other senior officials.