Reza Mahmud :
There is no sign of getting respite from price hike of essential commodities.
The government has taken several measures but nothing can give people respite from the high price of most essential items in the market.
People, especially the lower income group, are facing untold sufferings because of the price hike.
“In the pandemic situation, we have lost a big portion of our income. Even we have spent almost all of our deposits. In this situation, the high price of essential commodities make us untold sufferings,” Sayeed Hossain, a street vendor at Motijheel, told The New Nation.
Visiting markets in different areas of the capital it was found that every item was being sold at high price despite the government’s several measures.
Though price of several items have come down slightly, nothing was found in normal price yet.
Visiting Jurain, Gandaria and other markets on Friday, it was found that the lowest quality coarse rice was being sold at Tk 50 per kg.
High quality thin rice Miniket and Nazirshail were selling at Tk 70 to Tk 80
per kg. Per kg atta was selling at Tk 36 to 38.
Bottled soybean oil was selling at Tk 160 while open soybean at Tk 153 per liter. Palm oil was selling at Tk 145 to 150 per liter.
Mustard oil was being sold at Tk 200 per liter. Flour was being sold at Tk 40 per kg.
Sugar was being sold at Tk 80 to 90 per kg. Per dozen of eggs were being sold at Tk 110.
Although the price reduced a little bit, broiler chickens were being sold at Tk 175 to Tk 180 per kg, which was sold at Tk 180 to 190 last week.
But in last several months the broiler were sold at Tk 125 per kg.
The price of onion reduced slightly this week, but it has not returned between Tk 40 and Tk 45. Domestic grown onions were being sold at Tk 60 while imported ones at Tk 42 to Tk 45.
Traders were selling green chillies at Tk 140 to Tk 150 per kg instead of last week’s Tk 220 per kg, which was being sold at Tk 40 in previous weeks.
Consumers are passing hardship due to prevailing high prices of almost every item of essentials.
No one knows when the essential goods’ prices will return to normal. There are no vegetables below Tk 50 except papaya.
Bitter melon was being sold at Tk 60 per kg and medium size pumpkins at Tk 50 to Tk 60 per piece.
It is not yet time for winter vegetables to be available in in the market, yet small size cauliflowers and cabbages were being sold for Tk 50 per piece.
In this situation, people are found a mad rush to trucks of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) to buy something necessary items in low price.
But, there is also hardship due to shortfall of every item.
“People come sharp and a huge gathering was created soon after arrival of any TCB truck here. But within short time items including sugar, soybean oil, lentil found dried. As a result, most of the people wait long in queue got very few items at last,” said Abul Hamid, a nearby shopkeeper in Segunbagicha where TCB trucks used to sell commodities.
There is no good news for the common people yet regarding commodity prices in market, he said expressing disappointment.
