Staff Reporter :
The prices of some essential commodities have already marked a sharp rise at the retailer level in the capital as well across the country ahead of Ramzan.
While visiting several kitchen markets in the city and its suburb on Monday, this reporter found that apart from daily essentials, the prices of iftar items like gram, lentil, onion, garlic and sugar, which are largely consumed during the holy month, have increased by Tk 10 to 25 per kg since the holy Shab-e-Qadar earlier this month.
In city’s Malibagh and its suburb Tongi Bazar kitchen markets, gram price has increased by Tk 20 to Tk 25 per kg in the last week. Now it is selling at Tk 80 to Tk 85 (local) and garlic at Tk 80 per kg (local), which was Tk 70 two weeks ago.
Different qualities of lentils are selling at Tk 150 to Tk 155 per kg and sugar at Tk 55 to Tk 60 per kg.
Onion price has increased by Tk 10 to 15 over the last one and a half week. Now it is selling at Tk 45 (local) and Tk 30 (Indian).
Price of date, which are largely consumed as iftar item during Ramzan has already marked a sharp rise in the market as the item is now selling between Tk 120 and Tk 300 per kg.
According to butcher shops, the beef price is totally out of their control as the supply of cows from the neighbouring India has declined substantially in recent times.
A butcher at city’s Malibaghh Bazar said, as the Ramaan is coming the demand for beef will increase significantly within a few days.
“But we have a poor supply of cows. I think the price of beef will increase further if India does not open its boarder for cow import to Bangladesh,” he said.
Despite assurance by the authorities concerned that there will be no price hike ahead of Ramadan, the prices of these essentials have already registered high due to existence of an unholy alliance of the business syndication
Market analysts said as the authorities concerned do not visit the wholesale and retail markets, the unholy business syndicates get the chance to extract money from the common people. It is necessary to break the unholy nexus of the syndicates, they added.
“By telling shortage in supply chain of commodity, the unholy business syndicates have created artificial crisis in the market and thus lead to price-spurt of essentials,” Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh (CAB) President Golam Rahman told The New Nation on Monday.
He added the unholy business syndicates have hiked prices of essential commodities
“These organised unholy syndicates have been trying to create artificial crisis of other commodities, which have more use in the month. Although the city markets have plenty supply of those commodities, the groups were busy in making some quick bucks,” he said.
He said when a commodity registers an abnormal price-hike in the wake of an artificial scarcity, the administrative machinery does need to act.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said that the prices of essentials will remain stable during Ramadan as the commodities are adequately stocked to meet the increased demand.
He also warned the market manipulators saying, “Such activities won’t bring you any good. So, please don’t create unnecessary problems.”
A cell is also collecting information about the essential items’ supply, import and price situation from Bangladesh Bank, National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Tariff Commission, TCB and Department of Agricultural Marketing to give necessary advices and directives instantly to the concerned authority, which plays a vital role in keeping the essentials’ prices stable.
On the other hand, the market monitoring and mobile court operation, led by Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) are on across the country.
Meanwhile, a total of 14 mobile courts comprising officials from the commerce and other ministries are regularly monitoring the commodity markets in the capital.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Commerce at its 16th meeting also discussed the overall activities of the Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports.
The meeting was also told that prices of the commodities have remained within the purchasing capacity of the common man. Besides, the Market Monitoring Cell formed by the Ministry of Commerce is monitoring the market situation through regular inspections for keeping stable the prices.
Senior Commerce Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamun said, the persons involved in market supply are under surveillance.
“The normal supply and stock was given the highest priority. To ensure that we are mulling stern actions against the culprits involved in illegal price hike,” he added.
He hoped that the initiatives taken by the government would keep the city markets steady. He also focused to increase TCB’s open sale before and during the Ramadan.
Meanwhile, the State-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has planned to sell essential items during Ramadan in 174 open trucks across the country for the convenience of Muslim devotees.
Of the total trucks, 25 will be deployed in Dhaka, 10 in Chittagong, five each in every divisional headquarters, except Dhaka and Chittagong, a TCB official said.
According to an official document, TCB through these trucks will sell sugar, soybean oil, lentil, chick peas and dates, which are very much essential for Ramadan, at fair prices.
The first installment of the commodities to the dealers are likely to be released on Shab-e-Barat day (May 22), while the second installment in the first week of Ramadan while the third installment in the middle of Ramadan, according to the TCB sources.
The prices of some essential commodities have already marked a sharp rise at the retailer level in the capital as well across the country ahead of Ramzan.
While visiting several kitchen markets in the city and its suburb on Monday, this reporter found that apart from daily essentials, the prices of iftar items like gram, lentil, onion, garlic and sugar, which are largely consumed during the holy month, have increased by Tk 10 to 25 per kg since the holy Shab-e-Qadar earlier this month.
In city’s Malibagh and its suburb Tongi Bazar kitchen markets, gram price has increased by Tk 20 to Tk 25 per kg in the last week. Now it is selling at Tk 80 to Tk 85 (local) and garlic at Tk 80 per kg (local), which was Tk 70 two weeks ago.
Different qualities of lentils are selling at Tk 150 to Tk 155 per kg and sugar at Tk 55 to Tk 60 per kg.
Onion price has increased by Tk 10 to 15 over the last one and a half week. Now it is selling at Tk 45 (local) and Tk 30 (Indian).
Price of date, which are largely consumed as iftar item during Ramzan has already marked a sharp rise in the market as the item is now selling between Tk 120 and Tk 300 per kg.
According to butcher shops, the beef price is totally out of their control as the supply of cows from the neighbouring India has declined substantially in recent times.
A butcher at city’s Malibaghh Bazar said, as the Ramaan is coming the demand for beef will increase significantly within a few days.
“But we have a poor supply of cows. I think the price of beef will increase further if India does not open its boarder for cow import to Bangladesh,” he said.
Despite assurance by the authorities concerned that there will be no price hike ahead of Ramadan, the prices of these essentials have already registered high due to existence of an unholy alliance of the business syndication
Market analysts said as the authorities concerned do not visit the wholesale and retail markets, the unholy business syndicates get the chance to extract money from the common people. It is necessary to break the unholy nexus of the syndicates, they added.
“By telling shortage in supply chain of commodity, the unholy business syndicates have created artificial crisis in the market and thus lead to price-spurt of essentials,” Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh (CAB) President Golam Rahman told The New Nation on Monday.
He added the unholy business syndicates have hiked prices of essential commodities
“These organised unholy syndicates have been trying to create artificial crisis of other commodities, which have more use in the month. Although the city markets have plenty supply of those commodities, the groups were busy in making some quick bucks,” he said.
He said when a commodity registers an abnormal price-hike in the wake of an artificial scarcity, the administrative machinery does need to act.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said that the prices of essentials will remain stable during Ramadan as the commodities are adequately stocked to meet the increased demand.
He also warned the market manipulators saying, “Such activities won’t bring you any good. So, please don’t create unnecessary problems.”
A cell is also collecting information about the essential items’ supply, import and price situation from Bangladesh Bank, National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Tariff Commission, TCB and Department of Agricultural Marketing to give necessary advices and directives instantly to the concerned authority, which plays a vital role in keeping the essentials’ prices stable.
On the other hand, the market monitoring and mobile court operation, led by Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) are on across the country.
Meanwhile, a total of 14 mobile courts comprising officials from the commerce and other ministries are regularly monitoring the commodity markets in the capital.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Commerce at its 16th meeting also discussed the overall activities of the Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports.
The meeting was also told that prices of the commodities have remained within the purchasing capacity of the common man. Besides, the Market Monitoring Cell formed by the Ministry of Commerce is monitoring the market situation through regular inspections for keeping stable the prices.
Senior Commerce Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamun said, the persons involved in market supply are under surveillance.
“The normal supply and stock was given the highest priority. To ensure that we are mulling stern actions against the culprits involved in illegal price hike,” he added.
He hoped that the initiatives taken by the government would keep the city markets steady. He also focused to increase TCB’s open sale before and during the Ramadan.
Meanwhile, the State-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has planned to sell essential items during Ramadan in 174 open trucks across the country for the convenience of Muslim devotees.
Of the total trucks, 25 will be deployed in Dhaka, 10 in Chittagong, five each in every divisional headquarters, except Dhaka and Chittagong, a TCB official said.
According to an official document, TCB through these trucks will sell sugar, soybean oil, lentil, chick peas and dates, which are very much essential for Ramadan, at fair prices.
The first installment of the commodities to the dealers are likely to be released on Shab-e-Barat day (May 22), while the second installment in the first week of Ramadan while the third installment in the middle of Ramadan, according to the TCB sources.
