There is no possibility of increase in prices of essential goods during the holy month of Ramadan. City corporations have determined prices and formed market monitoring teams to keep market prices stable. “We have adequate supply of essential goods, so there is no reason to hike prices of the items. We had kept the prices of six to seven fast-moving commodities including rice, pulses, oil, sugar, gram and flour under control in the previous years,’’ Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said on Monday.
He was addressing a views-exchange on keeping prices of essentials stable and ensuring market monitoring during the holy month of Ramadan, organised by Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) at Nagar Bhaban in the capital’s Gulshan on Monday. The meeting was also attended among others by DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam, Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, Rapid Action Battalion Director General, Benazir Ahmed, DNCC councillors and business leaders.
On the occasion, Atiqul Islam said, “Some unscrupulous businessmen try to raise prices during Ramadan. But, this time, in order to keep prices stable, we have formed market monitoring teams. Law enforcement agencies and magistrates will also be active in monitoring the market.” Benazir Ahmed said, “I want to request all the business leaders to sell goods at low profit during this month. If you do the right thing, we won’t need to monitor the market.”
On the activities of some unscrupulous businessmen, the RAB DG said, “We have fined unscrupulous businessmen lakhs of taka, but they do the same thing again. The maximum punishment in ‘Food Safety Law’ should be death penalty.” City corporations have fixed the retail and wholesale prices of essentials by through meetings with business leaders.
The wholesale price of fine rice, medium rice and coarse rice has been determined at Tk 34-50, Tk 29-36, and Tk 26-28 per kg respectively, whereas the retail price of those rice varieties were fixed at Tk 45-53, Tk 30-38 and Tk 27-29. The retail prices of coarse flour, gram, sugar, and onion have been fixed at Tk 23-24, Tk 76-84, Tk 53-54 and Tk 21-22 respectively.
Besides, beef (indigenous) Tk 525 per kg, beef (bolder) Tk 500 per kg, buffalo meat Tk 480 per kg mutton (goat) Tk 750 per kg and mutton (lamb) per kg Tk 650 have been fixed. It was also said that the seller must display the price list at a viewable site in the shop.