Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon the businessmen

not to raise the prices of essentials, including sugar and edible oil, during the upcoming Ramadan.

She made the call at a function marking the inauguration and laying of foundation stones of 65 development projects in different districts. The PM addressed the businessmen from the Gono Bhaban through videoconferencing.

"I would like to request you to make sure that there is no crisis of sugar and edible oil during the upcoming Ramadan. It is my request to you all," she said while exchanging views with Mostafa Kamal, chairman of Meghna Group of Industries, and also the owner of Meghna Industrial Economic Zone, Sonargaon.

The PM made the same request to the owner of Abdul Monem Economic Zone, Munshiganj.

Hasina stressed the need for protecting arable land by not setting up industries haphazardly. She said the government was setting up 100 economic zones in the country to designate specific areas for industrialisation so that cropland was not destroyed.

She said Bangladesh achieved much development in the last decade due to proper planning by the government.

The government took measures to explore the local markets for locally-produced goods by increasing the people's purchasing power, the PM told the programme.

Hasina said the industrialists could catch the markets of neighbouring countries as the government was improving connectivity with them through the BBIN connectivity and the BCIM economic corridor.

Reaffirming that the main goal of her government's activities was to create jobs, she said, "No youth will remain unemployed. They will get training. We are ensuring training and education for them."

During the views-exchange with stakeholders of Mirsarai Economic Zone, the PM said she would not allow acquiring cropland for setting up economic zones or industries.

PM's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman was present at the programme, organised by Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority.

An audio-visual presentation on the activities of the economic zones was made on the occasion.

The 11 economic zones inaugurated by the PM are Mongla Economic Zone in Bagerhat, Meghna Economic Zone, Meghna Industrial Economic Zone, Aman Economic Zone and City Economic Zone in Narayanganj, Abdul Monem Economic Zone in Munshiganj, Bay Economic Zone in Gazipur, Kishoreganj Economic Zone in Kishoreganj, East West Special Economic Zone in Dhaka, Karnaphuli Dry Dock Special Economic Zone in Chattogram and Srihatta Economic Zone in Moulvibazar.

The 13 economic zones of which the foundation stones were laid are Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Industrial Estate in Chattogram and Feni, Mirsarai Economic Zone-2A, BGMEA Garments Park (Mirsarai) in Chattogram, Mongla Economic Zone-2 in Bagerhat, Moheshkhali Economic Zone in Cox's Bazar, Jamalpur Economic Zone in Jamalpur, Sirajganj Economic Zone in Sirajganj, Akij Economic Zone in Mymensingh, Cumilla Economic Zone in Cumilla, Bashundhara Special Economic Zone (Keraniganj) and Arisha Economic Zone in Dhaka, and Standard Global Economic Zone and Hosendi Economic Zone in Munshiganj.