Although three weeks have passed after the month of holy Ramadan, commodity prices still remains high, most of which are out of the reach of common people.
Even worse, prices of most of the daily necessities including fish, meat, vegetables, rice, pulses, oil and onions have gone up and the general consumers are in dire distress.
The prices of fish, meat and most vegetables were found high on Friday (June 4), according to sources from various wholesale markets in the capital, including Mirpur, Kalabagan, Mohakhali and Mohammadpur. As it was a holiday, greater number of buyers gathered in these local markets and expressed dissatisfaction with the issue of prices.
Beef was selling at Tk 600 per kg in these markets on Friday. Even a month ago, broiler chickens could be bought at Tk 120 to 130 a kilo in the market, but now the buyers have to buy them at Tk 150 to 180. Price of home grown chicken has gone out of reach.
The price of almost all types of fish has gone up by Tk 20 to 30 per kg. Rui fish is sold at Tk 330-360 per kg while Katal is Tk 300-330 per kg and Lobster is sold at Tk 700-750 per kg. Besides, Hilsa weighing 1 kg or 800 gm cost Tk 1,000 to 1,200.
Traders are blaming the rise of demand and hoarders for the rise in fish prices. Al Amin, a fishmonger in Mohammadpur, said, “The market is crowded with buyers as Friday is a holiday. As the demand for fish has increased, fish was bought at higher prices from the warehouse.”
At the same time, the prices of all kinds of vegetables including Potato, Tomato, Round Eggplant, Long Eggplant, Gourd, Raw Papaya, Cucumber, Carrot, Cauliflower, Sweet Pumpkin, Shrimp and Spinach have increased by Tk 15 to 30 per kg.
On this day, the price of all types of rice in different markets of the capital has increased by Tk 1 to 2 per kg in the last three days. Rakibul Islam, a rice seller in Karwan Bazar, said, “The rice market is not stabilizing even after the new rice has come to the market. The price of new rice is a bit lower but the price of old rice is higher. The price of rice is not going down because the price of paddy is high. ”
Along with rice and flour, buyers have to pay extra for soybean and palm oil. Loose soybean oil is being sold at Tk 135 to 140 per kg, which was between Tk 130 and 135 a week ago. The Palm Super is being sold at Tk 120 to Tk 125, which was earlier available at Tk 115 to 120. On the other hand, the price of onion has gone up to Tk 20 per kg in two phases. Domestic onions, which were sold at Tk 45 per kg last Friday, are now being sold at Tk 60. The price of garlic has also increased.
In this situation, people with limited income are under pressure to meet their daily food needs. Moreover, Coronavirus pandemic has reduced the income of many.
Fatemi Ahmed Rumi, a buyer at the Uttara Azampur Kacha Bazar, said, “Even after Ramadan, the prices of essential commodities are very high in the market. Besides, no effect of budget has been noticed in reducing prices. Although the budget has announced a reduction in the prices of some products, the effect has not been felt yet.”
Ashiq Billah, manager of a local mess at Kalabagan said, “It has become impossible for low-income people in Dhaka to make a living. It costs Tk 300 to 400 to buy a fish weigh 1Kg. The price of vegetables, oil and rice keeps going up gradually. We don’t know what we should do to make a good diet with low income.”
