01/10/2026 (The Daily Star) - Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has said edible oil prices will not be increased without proper scrutiny. He made the remark yesterday after inaugurating riverbank protection work at Kanishail, on the right bank of the Surma River in Sylhet Sadar upazila.

The work is part of the Surma-Kushiyara River Basin Development and Flood and Integrated Water Resources Management Project.

“Although traders are demanding higher edible oil prices, the government will make its decision carefully,” the minister said.

Asked whether the overall law and order situation could hinder investment, he said the government was closely monitoring the situation to ensure it did not affect local or foreign investment.

Traders in Dhaka and several other districts are struggling to obtain adequate supplies of bottled soybean oil from refiners, raising concerns over tightening supplies and the potential impact on consumers.

Refiners have urged the government to raise prices again, while loose soybean and palm oil prices have increased in Dhaka over the past week.

Retailers said refiners were supplying less bottled oil, with suppliers telling them that companies were seeking another price hike. The shortage, however, varies across markets.

On September 3, the government raised the maximum retail price of bottled soybean oil by Tk 5 to Tk 204 per litre, citing higher international prices and import costs.

Supplies had remained low for nearly two months before the adjustment. They stabilised for some time following the price hike but have since declined again.

According to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh data, loose soybean oil prices rose 1.05 percent over the week to September 29, from Tk 186-195 per litre to Tk 190-195.

On the same day, loose palm oil prices increased 0.88 percent, from Tk 170-172 to Tk 170-175 per litre.

https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/news/no-edible-oil-price-hike-without-scrutiny-4287306