Bangladesh News

All advisers of the government have been asked to make weekly field visits across the country starting next Friday to ensure smooth supply of fertiliser to farmers and take prompt decisions to stem the rising prices of commodities.

The decision was taken yesterday during the weekly meeting of council of advisers with Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair.

The council also approved, in principle, the Mobile Court Ordinance 2007 that would provide a detailed legal outline for the procedure and separation of powers delegated to executive and judicial magistrates.

The council will sit again today to decide on the final version of the Ordinance.

Briefing the press after the meeting at Chief Adviser’s Office, Syed Fahim Munaim, press secretary to the chief adviser, also said the council has commissioned an in-depth study for the implementation of Multimodal Transport Guideline, 2007.

Fahim said the CA decided on the field visit idea after the success of similar field level visits during recent floods, when advisers went to flood-affected districts, talked to district officials, stakeholders, made decisions whenever necessary and then reported back to the CA’s Office.

The food ministry will hold a daily press briefing to issue updates regarding the field-level visits, its effects on the prices of commodities and the supply of fertiliser.

“Everyone knows there is an adequate stock of fertiliser in the market, and it is heavily subsidised for poor farmers. But these poor farmers are not receiving the subsidised fertiliser or even sometimes, no fertiliser at all. The advisers will seek to solve this problem,” added Fahim.

The advisers would specifically check on the roles of agents and suppliers selling fertiliser in rural areas.

Fahim maintained that international prices were still driving domestic prices upward and prices of both domestic and imported commodities are likely to rise even further due to a rise in oil prices globally.

Meanwhile, the council’s approval of the Mobile Court Ordinance 2007 came following the recognition of the need to formulate separate and detailed duties and authorities for executive and judicial magistrates after the judiciary is separated from November 1.

The council also acknowledged the need for the executive magistrates to carry out certain administrative functions. A proposal in this regard — suggesting necessary legal provisions, directives, penalties and procedures — is to be examined by law secretary and the proposal is to be placed before the council today.

The Multimodal Transport Regulation 2007, has been sent back to ministries concerned with instructions to provide a detailed study on transport needs of the country, especially long-term and short-term needs for an urban transport system.

The regulation would provide a concrete guideline of operations for foreign investors, Fahim said.