Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Wednesday asked the deputy commissioners (DCs) to identify at least one exportable product in their respective districts in a bid to boost the country’s exports. The minister gave the directive during a meeting with the deputy commissioners on the second day of the DCs’ Conference at the conference room of the Cabinet Division at the secretariat. Emerging from the meeting, Tofail told reporters that the meeting has put emphasis on enhancing export, product diversification and exploring new export markets. “Instructions have been given to the DCs to identify at least one product in each district in the light of the policy of ‘One District-One Product’ to diversify the country’s export basket,” said the minister. During the meeting, Tofail also praised the role of the DCs for successfully controlling the vandalism carried out by the BNP-led alliance centering the national election. “Besides, the DCs also have successfully kept the prices of essential commodities stable during the month of Ramadan in the last two years and also made the kitchen markets formalin-free. I thanked them for these,” the commerce minister added. “Consumers’ Rights Protection Committees have been formed at district and upazila level across the country in cooperation with the DCs to ensure supply of adulteration-free commodities across the country. So far, more than Tk 3 crore has been fined from 6,000 traders across the country for selling adulterated food items,” Tofail informed.
