The Cabinet on Monday directed the relevant authorities to find out why the rice price is so high during the peak harvest season.

The directive came from the Cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at her office.

The meeting decided to conduct drives against illegal rice hoarders like the recent drives carried out against the edible oil hoarders in the country, said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam.

“Today a directive was given to take quick action, if anyone is engaged in the unauthorized business and hoarding of rice,” he said, adding that prices of rice and oil were elaborately discussed at the meeting.

Anwarul said the Cabinet instructed to go on action after conducting a market survey to know why the prices of rice went up in the full season and whether the rice is being hoarded and whether anyone is engaged in rice business illegally.

He said there is information that some (businessmen or companies) might get engaged in rice business breaking the memorandum of association. So, the meeting asked to monitor and supervise the rice market strongly, he added.

An instruction was given to the commerce minister, the food minister, the commerce secretary, the food secretary and the agriculture secretary to sit in a meeting for conducting the market survey soon in order to find out the reason behind soaring rice price.