Staff Correspondent

The government will form a 10-member taskforce in every district to monitor market across the country aiming to keep the price of essential commodities at affordable level.

“A 10-member taskforce will be formed in every district, while two students will be included into each taskforce,” Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir told a press briefing at Foreign Service Academy here.

He said many people are upset over the price hike of essentials and the government has given special attention to their concern.

Mentioning that the government has given permission to seven designated firms to import 4.5 crore eggs, Apurba said the Ministry of Commerce and the Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection have been monitoring the market and penalising traders and business firms found violating concerned rules.

About security of minority communities, he said the interim government has already started working on the security concerns voiced by the minority communities and it has been informed that Puja mandaps will be monitored instating IP cameras from UNO offices and police stations across the country.

The deputy press secretary said a special team will work in hotline 999 during the Durga Puja celebration, while RAB, a special team of intelligence agencies and a taskforce will be deployed to ensure security at Puja mandaps.

He mentioned that the public holiday on Durga Puja was extended by one more day.
The government will also ensure security for the Buddhist community so that they can celebrate Kothin Chibor Dan festival, he added.

Replying to a question over celebration of Kothin Chibor Dan (yellow offering ceremony) in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Apurba said the government will talk to members of Buddhist community and will take proper measures so that they can celebrate their religious festival smoothly.

About the update of July Shaheed Smriti Foundation, he said, the lists of those who were injured and killed in the students-people revolution were collected from Dhaka Medical College and National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation and those will be announced soon.

The foundation has also established a hotline – 16000 – which will be operational within two days and will remain open 24 hours, Apurba said. Any information regarding the students-people revolution will be gathered applying the hotline, he added.

He said July Shaheed Smriti Foundation has established an official website – jssfbd.com - and data on the student-led revolution will be available on this website.

CA’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and Deputy Press Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumder were also present at the briefing.