Staff Reporter, Kishoreganj :
Prices of many essential commodities, such as edible oil, rice, atta, and sugar have gone up at retail and wholesale markets in Kishoreganj like many other parts in the country.
Despite the government fixing the prices for edible oil three days ago, there has been little impact on the market as the kitchen essential still remains costlier at the retail level.
Onion and garlic are selling at lower prices, whhile the prices of vegetables remained stable on Saturday, according to sources at kitchen markets in Kishorganj.
The government on Wednesday fixed prices of soybean and palm oils in a bid to rein in the price hike in kitchen markets,Soybean oil tk.115per litre, bottled soybean oil at tk.135 per litre and palm oil at tk. 104 per litre. The 5 – litre bottle of soybean oil was priced at tk.630 then.
Kishorganj’s Batrish resident Suman Borman said they are buying bottle soybean at 135 per litre, which was just Tk.100 a year ago.Loose soybean oil was available at tk.72–78 at that time, but now are selling for tk.118 -125,Palm oil tk.105 -110.
The price of fine rice of all varieties increased by tk.3-4 in a week in Kishoreganj’s markets.
Presidenr of Kishorganj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mujibur Rahman Belal said that more than half of the Ramadan essential had already been imported and remaining consignments would arrive in the country in the next two months.
Since prices of most items have spiked in the international market due to the pendamic – led situation, the local market may show a spiraling in prices as well, he noted.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kishoreganj Mohammad Shamim Alam told the New Nation that ‘we will conduct marker monitoring activists and take legal action against the dishonest traders.
In Kishoreganj chapter of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) President Alam Sarowar Tito has called for ensuring strict monitoring of kitchen markets to ensure edible oil is sold at government fixed prices
Edible oil is an import items and the price can not be hiked without consent of Traffic Commission.
