Commerce secretary calls for stronger coordination to improve market monitoring

Commerce Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan on Sunday called for stronger coordination, greater inter-agency cooperation and enhanced leadership at the field level to make the country's market monitoring system more effective, coordinated and technology-driven.

He made the remarks while presiding over a workshop titled Capacity Building for Team Leaders Engaged in Market Monitoring at the Ministry of Commerce conference room in Dhaka.

The commerce secretary said all agencies involved in market surveillance are working towards a common goal, adding that the key challenge lay not in capacity constraints but in ensuring effective coordination, mutual cooperation and timely decision-making in the field.

He noted that market monitoring is conducted by the Ministry of Commerce and its subordinate agency, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, alongside several other ministries, departments and agencies, making market oversight a shared responsibility.

Addressing the team leaders, Khan stressed that leadership must be efficient, timely and results-oriented, urging them to resolve any coordination gaps promptly to ensure the smooth implementation of market monitoring activities.

He also announced that the ministry would soon develop a Power App, introduce an AI-based model for the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) and further upgrade the existing market monitoring application in line with the commerce minister's directives.

Additional Secretary (IIT) of the Ministry of Commerce Shibir Bichitra Barua and Acting Director General of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection Sebastian Rema attended the workshop as special guests, alongside senior officials from the ministry and the directorate.