Although the price of eggs and raw pepper has started to fall in the market, prices of most of the essential commodities still remain very high in the kitchen markets in Dhaka and other parts of the country.
However, the prices of some products are now in increasing trend. The prices of vegetables have not come down yet.
The price of chicken has increased abnormally. The price of broiler chicken has increased by Tk 5-10 per kg. The price of chicken increased in the previous week as well. Chicken prices, which are now between Tk 205 to 215, were between Tk 180 two weeks ago.
Prices of rice, wheat, meat, fish, chilli, onion and ginger are also in increasing trend.
On the other hand, brown eggs were sold for Tk 150 per dozen on Friday, down from Tk 180-200 the previous week. The price of egg at the retail level dropped by Tk 25 to 30 per dozen at different markets in the capital.
To make egg affordable, the government has permitted its import with a reduced import duty. The 25 percent import duty has been cut to 5 percent. However, the prices are still higher than those set by the government.
The interim government has failed to prevent price gouging till now despite several steps taken by the government to keep the commodity within the purchasing capacity of the common people.
People of the country, particularly those with limited incomes, are in a tight corner because of the high price of daily essential commodities. They are struggling with the high prices. There is extreme dissatisfaction among the consumers over the extreme level of essentials’ prices.
Against this backdrop, Law Adviser Professor Dr Asif Nazrul sought apology to people for price hike of essentials. He said that the government is working hard and taking joint efforts to improve the situation.
“I am seeking apology to you (people). I feel so bad. This is intolerable to us. We are working very hard. We are working together,” he said.
Dr Asif Nazrul made the remarks during a programme titled ‘Ajker Patrika’ hosted by Channel I late Thursday
night. He said that the impact of the floods is reducing and the winter is approaching. “We expect the situation will improve to a great extent. In some areas, the situation has already started improving,” he added.
The law adviser said it was a syndicate involved in importing commodities during the previous government. He acknowledged that the syndicate is very powerful, noting that it is not that much easy.
The government is doing in every possible way to deal with the issues of essential commodities and highlighted the steps taken so far in cooling down the market, said Dr Asif Nazrul.
He further said this is an issue that gives mental pains to all of them in the government.
It was known that the government has taken a plan to sell some vegetables at subsidised prices for the low-income groups as part of a pilot project in the capital.
According to the plan, the government will purchase the vegetables, which include potatoes, onions and green chilies, directly from farmers and then sell those through the open market sales (OMS) at designated spots in areas where low-income residents live.
At least 10 such locations have been fixed so far. If the pilot project is successful, the number of selling points would be increased, sources said.
The Ministry of Agriculture is currently working to implement the plan within the next few days.
An official of the ministry said that the government is aware of the current situation of the kitchen market. Due to unforeseen factors, such as the recent floods, the vegetable market is spiralling out of control. To address this, the government is considering selling vegetables at subsidised prices, he added.
The people of remote areas across the country are also suffering for the price hike of essential commodities.
In such a situation, a views-exchange meeting on controlling the prices of essentials was held at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) in Gaibandha. District administration arranged the meeting in order to control the prices of all essentials. DC Chowdhury Muazzam Ahmed presided over the meeting.
Speakers at the event called upon the businessmen not to raise the prices of essentials without logical reasons.
There has been a slight increase in the prices of some essential commodities due to natural disasters like floods. However, prices have increased abnormally recently, which has caused discomfort to consumers, the speakers said.
There is no alternative to bring commodity prices within purchasing capacity for everyone, they also said.
Meanwhile, the government is conducting drives in the capital and other parts of the country to control price hike.
Fahmina Akter, assistant director of Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection (DNCRP), said that she conducted drives at West Shewrapara Kacha Bazar and Taltola Kacha Bazar in the capital and saw that the price of egg is around the government-fixed price.
The local administration conducted drives at different parts of the country to control the price hike of daily commodities. The market monitoring team conducted drives at Chachkoid, Gurdaspur and Nazirpur markets at Gurudaspur upazila of Natore on Friday.
Violations of price list display rules were found in several shops in the markets during the raids. A shop in a kitchen market was fined Tk 1,000 for not having a price list and not showing receipts.
Gurdaspur Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Asadul Islam led the drives. Police and Ansar force provided assistance in the operation.
The market surveillance team is instructed to display the price list fixed by the Department of Agriculture Marketing in every shop. Common consumers have expressed satisfaction with such activities of the administration and have called for the continuation of such regular monitoring activities.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Salma Akhter said that such operations will be conducted regularly to keep product prices stable in the market, so that consumer can purchase products at fair price. She requested the consumer to follow the fixed price list.
