Living Costs In Dhaka Getting Costlier
No doubt, it is becoming increasingly costlier to live in Dhaka. House rent, food prices, and travel expenses are alarmingly high, and they are only soaring by the day. However, of all factors that contribute to our living costs, it’s the house rent that eats up a lion’s share of people’s monthly income. As a result of skyrocketing house rent, people have no choice but to squeeze their expenditures on other things such as food, clothing and entertainment.
Laws that could help control house rent prices and protect tenants’ rights do exist, but as with almost all laws in place, they are not implemented. And it seems that none of our political leaders are remotely worried about this. Such trends have hit the poorer sections of society the hardest-slum dwellers pay more rent per square foot than those who live in the affluent areas.
When you factor in the prevalence of corruption, which enables a certain section of society to accumulate more wealth and therefore spend more, it is no wonder that prices of commodities and services are soaring that only the elites can afford-leaving the rest of us in the lurch. The government keeps talking about “pro-poor” growth and development but such rhetoric has no bearing in reality.
Rashidul Azad
Dhaka.
