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PM asks people to refrain from buying excessive goods
DHAKA, March 21, 2020 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged the
people to refrain from buying excessive goods after being panicked, saying
categorically that the country has adequate stock of food grains.
In this connection, the prime minister said there should be a strong
vigilance both from the authorities concerned and the people so that none can
hoard essential goods cashing on the novel coronavirus outbreak.
“Hiking the price of essential commodities by excessive unnecessary
purchasing after being panicked is a ‘garhita’ (reproachable) act … all
will have to abstain from it,” she said.
The prime minister said this while talking to reporters after casting her
vote in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) by-polls to Dhaka-10 constituency at Dhaka
City College this morning.
Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, said: “We’re observing that
being frightened, some people are storing foods after purchasing those
excessively.”
“But I want to say clearly that we’ve no problem of foods … we’ve
adequate stock of food grains. So there is no need to buy excessive goods
after being panicked.”
The premier said she has already held meetings with the finance minister,
finance secretary and the Bangladesh Bank governor in this regard.
“We’ve an ability to purchase foods for the next one year through the
reserve we have. So there is no reason to be worried to this end,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said there are 17 lakh metric tons of food grains in the
government warehouses apart from 3:50 lakh MT wheat.
“Besides there are a huge quantity of food grains in the private rice
mills. So I would like to request all to buy goods (essential) that are
necessary for them,” she said.
MORE/SH/GMR/1230 hrs