The Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) will fix the prices of nine commodities soon so that nobody can make a brisk business taking the advantage of the current situation, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said today.

The commodities are rice, flour, flour (fine), edible oil, sugar, lentil, onion, mild steel (MS) products and cement.

The minister also warned of taking stern action against the businessmen who will be involved in price manipulation of basic commodities in the local markets.

He was briefing media at his secretariat office in Dhaka after a meeting with the importers, traders, wholesalers and leaders of different business chambers.

Munshi said the prices of some commodities soared in the local markets due to the volatile exchange rate of the dollar, price spike of commodities in the international markets and fuel price hikes in the local markets.

Moreover, a section of unscrupulous traders also made a hefty profit from the volatile markets of basic commodes, he added.