Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said the rice prices that started to soar from last week will start to go down within one or two days.

“Traders have given me the promise to bring down the rice prices immediately, the minister told reporters after a meeting with rice millers, traders, and importers at the Food Directorate on Wednesday.

Sadhan Chandra said, “We have a zero-tolerance against hike in rice prices. We have already initiated market monitoring. Those who do not have a food licence will not be allowed to be involved in the rice business.”

Mentioning the formation of inspection teams to monitor the rice market, the food minister further said, “We have created a control room. Stern operations will be carried in all divisions on Thursday (today).”

Without obtaining a food grain license, no one will be allowed to be part of the rice business, the minister said, adding that those who will keep excess stocks of rice will be brought under the book.

Middlemen to be removed

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Mohammed Abdus Shahid said in a bid to keep the prices of agriculture products under control, the middlemen of this sector will be removed.

“We want to use technology that can eliminate the middlemen who play a role behind the market volatility,” the minister told reporters at his office at the Secretariat on Wednesday.

The minister also said there is no scope to give a deadline for how many days it will be possible to bring the syndicate under control. “But action will be taken through the coordination of all agencies working on controlling the market,” he added.