Reza Mahmud :
The real income of the people has decreased more than what is earned honestly. What a labour, farmer, rickshaw puller and of other professions earned three months ago somehow managed the monthly budget.
But it is not possible right now, as the prices of transport and kitchen items increased, income remained static.
In the true sense the prices of all items increased, whereas the income of the people decreased, meaning the sufferings increased.
What was possible to meet the family budget of Taka three thousand two months ago, it is not possible right now as the cost of living increased widely.
People are now being compelled to spend their savings as they are failed to keep balance in earnings with high living costs.
“I want to go to village home leaving my city rental house because of failing to manage family expenditure. Price of everything including foods is high. Costs of all commodities and services have gone beyond my income level,” said Atiqul Islam, a Mechanic of old house appliances like freeze, TV, fan in the city’s Gandaria are told The New Nation on Tuesday night.
He said, “You see, edible oil prices are increasing day by day. Latest price hiking of seven taka per liter of bottled soybean oil has taken the price of it Tk 192 per litter. One KG of flour is now being sold at Tk more than 60 which we have bought at Tk 40 some days ago. Rice prices are on soaring are selling over Tk 60. Eggs price are also increasing. How could we live in Dhaka?”
Some other people, sitting along with Atiqul also gave the identical view.
But some of those said that they also are thinking to leave Dhaka.
Abdul Halim, one of them, a grocery shop owner, said that he is not confirming of living in village because there is no any confirmed way of income there.
“I have also to leave Dhaka soon that I could not stay here with the high living cost. But, at the same time, I think that I have no way to live in my village also,” Abdul Halim said.
“There is a house in my village to live. But I have no sufficient lands to cultivate for provide my family. I have no other way of earning there. So, I am in dilemma,” said the grocery shop owner expressing his pain.
People of the fixed income group are in the abyss of pains and affliction.
One of them is Sayeedul Ahsan, a private service holder in at Dilkusha in the capital.
He said that his children have been kept deprived from necessary nutrition from their daily meals as the price of fish, milk, meat, and even eggs are widely high.
I feel disappointment seriously when I see that two of my children are eating only some rice with few vegetables only.
“I cannot buy fish for the last two weeks as the cost of everything has increased beyond my imaginations,” Sayeedul said.
I have spent most of my salary to pay house rent, cooking gas and electricity charge.
Then, I pass very hardship to bear the cost of daily essentials. Prices of vegetable are also high. No any item of vegetable price below Tk 50 except potato and papaya. Fruits prices go out of our purchasing capacity, he said.
Many other people from different areas of the capital from every walk of life also expressed similar agony.
When contacted, Dr. AB Mirza Azizul Islam, Prominent Economist and former adviser of caretaker government told The New Nation on Wednesday, “Most of the lower and medium income group of the people have no savings yet to bear the extra expenditure in this hard time. They are really passing through untold agony due to the current price hiking of almost everything.”
The prominent economist suggested the government to expand its social safety net so that the needy people can stay with the minimum living standard.
He also stressed on ensuring family cards for crores of the people to cope the hardship.
