Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday asked the newly appointed ministers to take necessary steps to keep prices of essentials under control during the upcoming holy Ramadan.

"Holy Ramadan is coming and we will take necessary steps to ensure the prices of the essentials are not increased during this month," she said.

The prime minister said this while holding an informal meeting with the ministers who came here to pay homage to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.The meeting was held at her own residence in Tungipara, her home district.

Hasina arrived in Tungipara early in the day for her first visit outside the capital since winning the 7 January election with an absolute majority.

The massive win gave her the fourth straight term in office and the fifth overall.

PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin briefed the reporters after the meeting.

He said that this was an informal cabinet meeting.

He mentioned that the prime ministers asked the ministers to take measures during Ramadan, especially against the big hoarders so they can't create an artificial crisis of commodities.

She also asked the ministers to conduct anti-hoarding drives regularly in this connection.

"Put the prices of essentials under control so that the common people could live in comfort," she was quoted as saying.

The PMO secretary said that the prime minister gave directions to her first-time cabinet colleagues to know ins and outs about his or her ministry first.

Salauddin said that PM Hasina asked the ministers to highly consider the benefits of the country and its people while taking up any project.