The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) had started selling of essentials in open market in the port city on May 15 for Ramdan, but stopped the Open Market Sell (OMS) after only two weeks.
As a result, the district administration and other authorities concerned lost their control over the price hike and market monitoring as there were no alternative to sell essentials in actual prices.
Meanwhile, District Food Controller of Chittagong office sources said, “Selling of essentials are being disrupted due to continuous raining in Chittagong.” Sources said, despite the steps of the local administration, lawmakers, mayor and authorities concerned, the prices of essentials are hiking every day. Prices of some essentials, especially green chilly, cucumber and beef, witnessed a sharp rise at port city’s kitchen markets recently. According to sources, under the OMS program, rice and other essentials including oil, flours, sugar etc were being sold at several spots in the city. A total of 30 trucks in different areas of the city including Andarkilla, Chhotopool, Newmarket, Agrabad, Press Club, New Market and Bahaddarhat were distributing the rice and other essentials at low price. Office of the District Food Controller of Chittagong sources said, “People were able to buy a maximum of five kgs from 30 trucks every day, except Fridays and Tuesdays. Each truck was containing four tons of rice.”
Abdullah Al Mamun, who worked for an oil company said, “We are suffering from price hike during Ramadan. In the mean time, TCB also stopped to sell essentials in open market at lower prices.”
