No scope to hike bus fares, essentials over fuel price rise: Commerce Minister

Commerce, Industry, and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said there is no justification for increasing bus fares or prices of essential commodities following the recent hike in fuel oil prices.

He made the remarks while speaking to journalists on Saturday (April 25) after inspecting the knit industrial estate developed on the site of Chittaranjan Cotton Mills in Siddhirganj of Narayanganj.

The minister stressed that higher fuel prices should not be used as a pretext for raising transport fares or daily commodity prices, indicating that the government will remain vigilant on the issue.

Addressing concerns over exports, Muktadir said the notion that fuel-related constraints are disrupting production and reducing exports is not accurate. Instead, he pointed to a mild slowdown in the global export market as a key factor behind any recent dip.

He also noted that electricity generated in the country is being supplied to private industrial units to support continued production.

Calling for sustainable industrial growth, the minister urged future investors to prioritise less fuel-intensive industries over energy-heavy ones.

On Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation (BTMC) industrial plots, he said two plots have already been allocated for factory establishment, while another two are in the process of being handed over to the same entity. Efforts are underway to resolve land-related complications in the remaining plots to facilitate further investment.

State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md Shariful Alam, BTMC Chairman SM Zahid Hasan and other senior officials were present during the visit.