<div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked the field-level administration to take stern action against illegal hoarders of commodities and ensure smooth supply of essential items to the consumers during the upcoming month of Ramadan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“During the Ramadan, some businesses are there who always want to make extra profit by hoarding the essentials and raising their prices. But we have to pay a special attention to it. It is now one of our immediate duties,” said Sheikh Hasina.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The premier made the directives while opening the Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) Conference-2024 at her office in the city.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Divisional Commissioners and deputy commissioners of districts joined the four-day conference, which will conclude on Wednesday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“In the supply chain, problems are created or attempts are made to create artificial crisis of commodities. Some hoarders are there who let goods to be rotten but don’t supply the goods to the market. It needs to take tough legal action in this regard,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PM asked the field administration to pay a special attention so that the essential goods could reach to the common people smoothly during the upcoming Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said though the inflation rate is still within 10 percent in Bangladesh, it is nonetheless a problem.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She directed the officials to intensify monitoring on the market situation and ensure the consumers won’t be subjected to harassment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The subsequent programmes of the conference will be held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium, featuring a total of 30 sessions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cabinet Secretary Mahbub Hossain delivered the welcome speech.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Public Administration Minister Farhad Hossain, PM’s Principal Secretary Tofazzel Hossain Miah, Dhaka divisional commissioner Sabirul Islam, Chattogram DC Abul Bashar Mohammed Fakhruzzaman and Gaibandha DC Kazi Nahid Rasul spoke at the opening session.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This year, some 350 proposals have been put forth by the DCs and divisional commissioners for the DC Conference, a platform for top field-level administration officials. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>