Photo: Messenger
Akram Hossain works at a private company in the capital. There is a big gap between his income and expenses, including the prices of essential commodities. His salary did not increase in the last one year, but the prices of daily commodities are rising every month.
Expressing anger, he said that the prices of commodities had exceeded the Ramadan levels and price hikes created immense miseries in the lives of middle-class consumers like him.
“After bearing the costs of education of my children and some additional expenses during Eid, I am struggling to maintain the monthly budget. I am using money from my savings to buy commodities today,” he told The Daily Messenger.
While visiting some markets in Dhaka on Friday, it was found that the prices of daily commodities had gone up considerably. The prices of fish, meat, and vegetables were higher than that in Ramadan. Pangas and tilapia could be bought for Tk 150-160 per kg in Ramadan, but they are no longer available below Tk 200.
During Ramadan, beef was available at Tk 750-760 per kg all over the country, including Dhaka. Now it is being sold at Tk 800. Brinjal cost Tk 60-80 per kg during Ramadan, which has now exceeded Tk 100. Other vegetables also cost over Tk 100 per kg. Sonali chicken sold at Tk 320-340 per kg during Ramadan, but it was Tk 400 on Friday.
Ali Hossain came to the Maniknagar vegetable market on Friday. He said he planned to buy a small chicken, a kg of fish, and some vegetables with Tk 1,000. “But I could not afford those with that amount. I purchased Sonali chicken for Tk 550 and some vegetables. Those cost Tk 1,000 and I could not buy fish.”
“I have two children. They want to eat fish and meat on Fridays. For that, I sometimes have to spend from savings or cut some necessary expenses. Prices suddenly go out of control, as if there was no one for monitoring,” he added.
Vegetable prices once again are hovering around Tk 100 per kg. Brinjal is sold for Tk 100-120 per kg depending on the quality. Yardlong bean price is Tk 90-100 per kg, and a kg of papaya is sold at Tk 80-90. Snake gourd and sponge gourd are sold at Tk 80-90 per kg. One kg of potato costs Tk 55-60, up Tk 10 from last week.
President of Kitchen Market Warehouse Owners Association Md Imran Master told the media vegetable production has been disrupted due to extreme heat. “Therefore, the supply of vegetables in the market is less, and the price has also increased. The new vegetables that the farmers are planting will take time to arrive. The price of vegetables is not likely to decrease before two to three weeks.”
The price of Sonali chicken rose to Tk 400 per kg in Jatrabari on Friday. There were reports of even higher prices in some places. During Ramadan, Sonali chicken was Tk 350-370 per kg. Per kg broiler chicken was sold at Tk 220-230.
After Eid, the price of eggs increased by Tk 20 per dozen. The price of farm brown eggs is Tk 135-140 per dozen, white eggs Tk 130-135 per dozen, beef Tk 750-800 per kg, and mutton Tk 1,000-1,100 per kg.
President of Bangladesh Poultry Association Suman Howladar said with the decrease in the intensity of heat, special attention should be paid to the production of chicken and eggs. “Besides, prices may go beyond the reach of buyers in the long run. Worryingly, if smallholder farmers are unable to return to production, market instability will increase.”
Like meat, prices are also high in the fish market. The price of farm rohu fish is Tk 300-400 per kg. The price of one kilogram of hilsa is Tk 1,600-1,800. The price of local fish is beyond the reach of common buyers. A kg of small shoal and magur fish costs Tk 800-900.
Messenger/Disha
