The government has sufficient food stocks to keep market prices stable during Ramadan, Commerce, Industries, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said on Friday.
“The Ministry of Commerce’s key responsibility is to ensure price stability of essential food items, and that responsibility becomes more important during Ramadan,” he told reporters at Sylhet Osmani International Airport.
He said when the government assumed office there was limited scope to take special measures ahead of Ramadan.
“However, the positive aspect is that the food stock we now have is sufficient to maintain market stability, so there is no cause for concern,” he said.
On US tariffs on Bangladeshi goods, he said 85 per cent of the country’s export basket depends on a single product, which poses a major challenge.
Bangladesh must diversify its export sector and reduce reliance on one product, he said.
He noted that export growth has shown increasing negative trends over the past four to five months and said the use of tariff policies by the United States as a tool in various sectors has disrupted global trade dynamics.
“In this volatile period, we must explore alternative markets and bring diversification to our export products. Dependence on a single product is risky for the economy in the long term,” he said.
On development plans for Sylhet, he said initiatives would focus on improving quality of life, particularly through job creation, expansion of IT-related professions and establishment of an artificial intelligence centre.
“To create employment, investment is essential. To attract investment, we need better communication systems, less red tape and a supportive environment, including political stability,” he said.
The government is working on special policy support for expatriate and local investors in Sylhet and visible progress will be seen soon, he added.
Among those present were Sylhet lawmaker MA Malik, Divisional Commissioner Khan Md Reza-un-Nabi, Range Deputy Inspector General Md Mushfekur Rahman, Sylhet Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abdul Quddus Chowdhury and Deputy Commissioner Md Sarwar Alam, along with local party leaders.
