The commerce ministry has banned export ofbrinjal, cucumber, green chilli, garlic and coriander leaves for a month from today to contain their prices and ensure sufficient supply during Ramadan.

The government has also taken steps to control prices of other essentials like oil, sugar and gram, demand of which shoots up during the month of fasting, the commerce ministry said in a statement yesterday. The ban on export of onion is already in place.

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry has also asked customers to purchase essentials following the price list hanged by the apex trade body in markets.

Two of the 14 market monitoring teams of the commerce ministry yesterday inspected the kitchen markets in Mirpur-1, Kalyanpur, Palashi and New Market areas and fined eight shops for charging higher prices and not displaying the price list.