Business leaders in Chittagong on June 5 urged the government to immediately reduce import duties on essential commodities to help bring the essentials’ prices at a tolerable level during the upcoming Ramadan. They also suggested that the government create an interim buffer stock of some specific goods. Leaders of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and importers said these during a view-exchange meeting with journalists in the port city. The CCCI placed an eight-point suggestion before the government in a bid to ensure uninterrupted supply of food grains, especially of essential ones, and keep their prices at tolerable level.

The suggestions include making Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) more functional, helping BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) import and market the essentials, spending a portion of foreign exchange reserves on importing the commodities, and minimising L/C (letter of credit) margin for imports.