Prices of essential commodities continue to rise in the market much to the sufferings of people, particularly from the low-income group, but the measures taken by the interim government to control prices are not working.
Many alleged that steps taken by the interim government to tame the price hike of essential items has fallen flat as a section of traders are busy making fast buck, not giving a damn about the consumers’ interest.
While talking to the Bangladesh Post, a senior official of the commerce ministry acknowledged that they could not arrest the price hike of essential items due to the lack of proper market monitoring.
“As the field-level administration is not working properly, the government’s action to curb the price hike seems futile,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
“As a result, people do not get any reflection of the ongoing drives in the kitchen market,” he added.
The Directorate of the National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) on Tuesday conducted drives in different city kitchen markets in the capital city of Dhaka and realised about Tk 7.60 lakh in fine.
The interim government on September 15 fixed the prices of egg and chicken at production, wholesale and retail levels to control the market.
The price of each egg was fixed at Tk 10.58 at production level, Tk 11.01 at wholesale level and Tk 11.87 at retail level while broiler chicken price fixed at Tk 168.91 at production level, wholesale level at Tk 172.61 and retail level at Tk 179.59.
But, consumers are not getting the items as per the govern-fixed rates.
Visiting different kitchen markets on Thursday, this correspondent found that eggs were selling at Tk 170 per dozen where broiler chicken at Tk 200 per kg.
A trader Jashim Uddin in the city’s Kaptanbazar said that retail price of eggs vary depends on wholesale market.
“How can we sell at a lower rate, if the price is not reduced in the wholesale market? In fact, the price of eggs has increased in the wholesale market in the last two days,” he said.
A wholesaler at Tejgaon area blames the middlemen for the rise in egg price, saying that they (middlemen) fixe the price of egg through manipulation.
Over the rise of chicken price, poultry farmer Kawsar Mia said the price of all kinds of chicken feed has increased. “We have to buy chicken feed at high prices,” he said, urging the government to immediately take measures to reduce the price of chicken.
Consumers alleged that a syndicate continues to manipulate the kitchen market, despite political changeover following the fall of Sheikh Hasina-led government amid a mass upsurge.
Atiar Rahman, a private bank employee, said,“The government has set the price of each egg at Tk 11.87 and broiler chicken at Tk 179.59 per kg. But, we are now buying an egg for Tk 15 and broiler chicken for Tk 200 per kg. I have bought four eggs at Tk 60.”
“We hoped that the interim government would break the syndicate and ensure fair prices of all essential commodities, but we are to get respite from soaring prices of daily necessaries,” he said.
Prices of all kinds of vegetables increased further on Thursday compared to the last week’s rates.
Beans was selling at Tk 80 per kg, ribbed gourd at Tk 70, bitter gourd at Tk 70, ladies finger at Tk 70, snake gourd at Tk 70, pointed gourd (potol) at Tk 60, spiny gourd at Tk 60, brinjal at Tk 60-70 per kg.
Fish was also selling at prices higher that of the last week’s rate.
Although the government has reduced import duty on potato and onion, both the items were still selling at Tk 60 and 120 per kg respectively. Their prices still remain high.
The price of green chilli witnessed a significant rise. Green chilli was selling at Tk 400 per kg in the capital’s Ananda Bazar.
