"It is our responsibility to look into these matters," he told reporters on his first day in office as the finance and planning adviser.

Akbar, also in charge of commerce, post and telecommunications ministries, was replying to queries about the Awami League (AL) led 14-party combine's demand for scrapping of all the decisions taken by the BNP-Jamaat government on development projects, block allocations and signing of contracts after January 1.

The opposition's call figures in the 11-point demand that AL President Sheikh Hasina submitted to the President and Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed on October 30.

The advisers should review the government's last six months' activities and get their priorities right, observed Akbar Ali, a former cabinet and finance secretary.

He said the government expenditure is more than its revenues and for this, the caretaker government will spend on a priority basis over the next three months.

"Our main objective is to leave a stable economy for the next government," he added.

He said not for mere three days, rather for the next three months the caretaker government should be under strict watch so that it can perform its duties properly.

"An elected government is accountable to the people who evaluate its [government's] performance through election," said the adviser adding, "As we are not an elected one, we should be kept under some kind of surveillance by the political parties and the people at large."

Asked about the skyrocketing prices of essentials, he said he is hopeful the prices will come down shortly.

"I am lucky to be in charge at a time when various seasonal vegetables are becoming available in the market and this will obviously help to reduce the prices," he said.

Akbar reached his secretariat office at about 9:30am yesterday and met secretaries of finance division, commerce and telecommunications and some other high officials.

The other advisers of the caretaker government too formally began their work yesterday. They were allocated portfolios on Wednesday night.

Senior officials made courtesy calls on them.

Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, adviser for power, energy and mineral resources, entered the secretariat at 10:00am. He told reporters that first he will try to understand how much could be done during this short period and set his plan of actions accordingly.

Information, Water Resources and Religious Affairs Adviser Mahbubul Alam and Health and Family Welfare Adviser Prof (Emeritus) Sufia Rahman also talked to the press on their first day in office.

They said they will remain busy mostly with the election-related activities during the 90-day period.