DUSHANBE, August 6, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- On Friday August 5, Chairman of the Council of Ulemo (Islamic council that issues fatwas and religious guidance to Islamic religious organizations) Saidmukarram Abduqodirzoda met with a group of merchants running shops at Dushanbe’s Shohmansour market.

The source in the Islamic Center says Abduqodirzoda called on merchants to lower prices for their products, especially basic food products, during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

We will recall that the Dushanbe mayor’s office has decided to involve imam-khatibs of "five-time" prayer mosques and Friday prayer mosques (larger facilities built for weekly Friday prayers) in tackling the price cutting problems in the city during the holy month of Ramadan.

Imam-khatibs of the Friday prayer mosques are reportedly carrying explanatory work among merchants running their shops at the municipal bazaars, while imam-khatibs of the “five-time” prayer mosques are involved in carrying out explanatory work among merchants running their shops at the private bazaars.