S A Shofiee, Sylhet :
As it happens every year, this time too prices of most of the essential Iftar ingredients have gone up ahead of Ramadan in Sylhet City despite several ministers assurance that the government would rein in such price hikes.
Of them, the price of aubergine has soared up by almost 80% as it is one of the most essential Iftar items.
It was selling at Tk90-100 a kilogram Tuesday. The price was only Tk50-60 on Sunday, said a vegetable seller.
Sellers apprehended that the prices will increase further during Ramadan that begins today. We sold aubergine at Tk50 to Tk60 on Sunday but it has doubled today as Ramadan arrives, Kamal Ahmed, a retail shop owner of Shibgong kitchen market, told this reporter.
The traders, however, said they do not have anything to do with the price hike as the prices of wholesale products have already gone up at the wholesale markets like Bondar Bazar and ZindaBazar. Jeny, a teacher of aGovt,Primary School alleged that the prices of essential items rise every year abnormally ahead of Ramadan. She frustratingly said she had to buy aubergine at Tk90 a kg yesterday. The government should monitor the market price during Ramadan,she said.
During visits to different kitchen markets includingShibgong, Ambarkhana and Zindabazar today this correspondent found that not only aubergine prices of other vegetables such as cucumber, green chilli and potato used for preparing Iftar items also soared up.
Prices of gram, garlic, onion, beef and mutton also went up.
Last week, the government imposed a ban on exporting green chilli, eggplant, cucumber, coriander leaf and lemon to keep the prices stable and ensure their smooth supply to domestic markets during Ramadan. Although some wholesalers and retailers blamed shortages in supply for the latest price hikes, this correspondent did not find any dearth of fresh produce during visits to these city markets.
The retailer shop owners said that gram was being sold at Tk90-110 a kg in the markets. Last year, it varied from Tk60 to Tk65 and it was Tk70-80 just a fortnight ago.
The price of imported garlic remained high and the item was selling at Tk200-220 a kg while the local variety was selling at Tk140-150 a kg yesterday.
The price of red lentil remained unchanged. However, imported red lentil was being sold at Tk110-130 a kg while local red lentil was selling at Tk140-150 a kg.
The price of broiler chicken remained unchanged with the item selling at Tk170-175 a kg while beef was selling at Tk420-440 a kg and mutton at Tk600 yesterday.
As it happens every year, this time too prices of most of the essential Iftar ingredients have gone up ahead of Ramadan in Sylhet City despite several ministers assurance that the government would rein in such price hikes.
Of them, the price of aubergine has soared up by almost 80% as it is one of the most essential Iftar items.
It was selling at Tk90-100 a kilogram Tuesday. The price was only Tk50-60 on Sunday, said a vegetable seller.
Sellers apprehended that the prices will increase further during Ramadan that begins today. We sold aubergine at Tk50 to Tk60 on Sunday but it has doubled today as Ramadan arrives, Kamal Ahmed, a retail shop owner of Shibgong kitchen market, told this reporter.
The traders, however, said they do not have anything to do with the price hike as the prices of wholesale products have already gone up at the wholesale markets like Bondar Bazar and ZindaBazar. Jeny, a teacher of aGovt,Primary School alleged that the prices of essential items rise every year abnormally ahead of Ramadan. She frustratingly said she had to buy aubergine at Tk90 a kg yesterday. The government should monitor the market price during Ramadan,she said.
During visits to different kitchen markets includingShibgong, Ambarkhana and Zindabazar today this correspondent found that not only aubergine prices of other vegetables such as cucumber, green chilli and potato used for preparing Iftar items also soared up.
Prices of gram, garlic, onion, beef and mutton also went up.
Last week, the government imposed a ban on exporting green chilli, eggplant, cucumber, coriander leaf and lemon to keep the prices stable and ensure their smooth supply to domestic markets during Ramadan. Although some wholesalers and retailers blamed shortages in supply for the latest price hikes, this correspondent did not find any dearth of fresh produce during visits to these city markets.
The retailer shop owners said that gram was being sold at Tk90-110 a kg in the markets. Last year, it varied from Tk60 to Tk65 and it was Tk70-80 just a fortnight ago.
The price of imported garlic remained high and the item was selling at Tk200-220 a kg while the local variety was selling at Tk140-150 a kg yesterday.
The price of red lentil remained unchanged. However, imported red lentil was being sold at Tk110-130 a kg while local red lentil was selling at Tk140-150 a kg.
The price of broiler chicken remained unchanged with the item selling at Tk170-175 a kg while beef was selling at Tk420-440 a kg and mutton at Tk600 yesterday.
