Both the government and the central bank have moved to help curb the soaring price of US dollar against Bangladesh Taka (BDT), officials said.
The central bank has already started supplying necessary volume of greenback to the banks, and also assured them of providing more if needed to keep its price stable, they added.
Sources said the issue was also discussed at the bankers' meeting, held at the central bank on Thursday.
Besides, the Bangladesh Bank (BB) has also convened a meeting with treasury heads of 20 banks on next Sunday to discuss the situation and decide the next course of action.
The move came against the backdrop of price hike of US dollar, both in inter-bank and kerb markets, during the last few days.
"We have given the recent dollar price surge top priority and taken steps to this effect," BB Governor Fazle Kabir told the FE on Thursday.
He said necessary amount of US dollar has already been supplied, and price of the greenback already started easing.
The governor said the price of US dollar came down to Tk 82.23 on Thursday. Banks have been advised not to charge more than that, he mentioned.
BB Deputy Governor Abu Hena Mohd Razee Hassan also told the FE that the greenback price remained below Tk 82.23 on the day following the central bank's intervention. The supply of greenback is now adequate in the banks.
Mr Hassan said Bangladesh Foreign Exchange Dealer's Association (BAFEDA) has been asked to take measures to keep the US dollar price under control and check whether any quarter has been raising its price artificially.
The central bank will also investigate the recent greenback price hike, he noted.
Replying to a query Mr Hassan said the government has already expressed concern over the situation and asked the central bank to take necessary steps.
On Thursday each US dollar was sold between Tk 82.60 and Tk 83 in kerb market.
Managing Director and CEO of Mutual Trust Bank Limited (MTB) and Chairman of Association of Bankers, Bangladesh Anis A Khan told the FE that the issue of US dollar price hike was also discussed in the bankers' meeting at central bank on Thursday.
"This is a temporary phenomenon, caused by higher import and lower export earnings as well as lower remittance inflow."
Mr Khan said the trend of higher import ahead of the month of Ramadan may have destabilised the situation.
"Adequate dollar is in our hands now. The situation will be stable soon," he noted.
Meanwhile, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said on Thursday he had talks with the central bank governor on the issue, and steps have been taken to curb the price hike of greenback.
"The governor is taking effective measures. Dollar price has already come down to Tk 82 from Tk 84. We are hopeful that the price will go down below Tk 80," he told newsmen at his secretariat office.
When contacted, President of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Matlub Ahmad told the FE on Thursday that continuation of high price of dollar against Taka would push up commodity prices in the days to come.
He, however, said the exporters and the wage-earners will benefit out of the dollar price hike.
syful-islam@outlook.com
