Govt to adjust fuel prices after int’l market stabilises: Kamal

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has said that the government will adjust fuel prices in the country after the price of the commodity stabilises in the international market.

The finance minister was replying to a volley of questions after chairing virtually two separate meetings on the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) and the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP).

“The government will decrease fuel prices in the country if the price of fuel decreases and stabilises in the international market,” the minister said mentioning the price of fossil fuel continues to fluctuate in the international market.

On November 3, the government raised diesel and kerosene prices by Tk 15. A day later, the retail price of 12kg LPG (liquefied Petroleum Gas) was increased by Tk 54 to Tk 1,313.

Govt prepared to deal with Omicron

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said that the government is always prepared to face any kind of disastrous situation even if the new Covid-19 variant Omicron hits the country.

"We're yet to get infected by Omicron .....Hopefully such variant (Omicron) will not hit our country....I believe that it won't affect our country," he said.

Kamal said even if such variant comes in Bangladesh, then the government is always prepared to face it taking alongside the countrymen.

He said that Bangladesh is yet to detect any such case of Omicron while the government had earlier successfully tackled the Covid-1 situation taking beside the whole of the country's people.

The Finance Minister said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the government has taken steps whatever necessary to keep up the momentum in the economic fronts while the affected communities got necessary support.

Replying to another question about the government's steps against the alleged money launderers, he said that he had sought specific information about the money launderers for several times and subsequently steps have been taken.

The Finance Minister said that following media reports, the Bangladesh Bank and the concerned agencies are working to ensure that the culprits are brought to book and get punished.

Kamal also said that he would face the media one day and thus reveal in details about the money launderers and what kind of steps have been taken against them.

"I personally can take no action against the money launders and I've no mechanism of my own. The judiciary and the concerned agencies will take action against them......the government is taking steps whatever is needed in this regard."

The Finance Minister said that those who are committing corruption are being punished and thus serving term behind the bars.