Commerce, Industries, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir announced that the government will introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to monitor the country’s market situation and help maintain price stability. Speaking at a distribution programme in Sylhet, the minister said the initiative would initially cover 30 highly sensitive commodities.
AI System to Analyze Multiple Factors
The AI-based system will go beyond tracking current prices. It will analyze commodity production, assess the possible impact of weather conditions on output, and evaluate developments in international markets to generate comprehensive forecasts. The model will be developed in coordination with several relevant ministries to strengthen market management and policy decisions.
Government's Export Strategy
Highlighting the government’s export strategy, Muktadir expressed his determination to establish Sylhet as one of the country’s leading vegetable export hubs. He noted that nearly half of Bangladesh’s vegetable exporters are from Sylhet, but the sector has yet to realize its full potential due to inadequate packaging facilities and certification-related challenges.
Special Project for Farmers
To address these constraints, the government is undertaking a special project through the Ministry of Agriculture. Under this project, farmers will receive training on scientific cultivation methods and traceability systems to ensure compliance with export standards.
Cold Storage Facilities
The minister also announced that the government has decided to construct around 2,000 cold storage facilities across the country to preserve agricultural produce, with a significant number to be established in Sylhet.
Distribution Programme
The event included the distribution of grants from the minister’s discretionary fund, implementation of the Agriculture Office’s Partner Congress Programme, prize-giving ceremony of National Education Week-2026, distribution of wheelchairs among persons with disabilities, distribution of goat feed among members of disadvantaged small ethnic communities, and the inauguration of a tree plantation campaign under the government’s “25 Crore Trees in Five Years” initiative. Later, the minister inaugurated the operation of a haematology analyser for CBC testing and the rabies vaccination programme at the 31-bed Khadimpara Hospital.
