Own Correspondent: Consumers are disoriented by the increase in prices of daily necessities in Chittagong market. Businessmen are giving various excuses every day as the reason for price increase. Due to increase in price of rice, dal, oil, salt, sugar, majority of common people are not able to cope with their low earnings.
Wholesale traders of Khatunganj said that due to the dollar crisis, the LCs in the banks will be reduced. They also reported an increase in the booking rate of daily necessities in the international market. But when the booking rate drops in the international market, they don’t want to report that. A business leader said that product booking rates fluctuate daily in the international market. These various excuses for increasing the price of products are nothing but the manipulation of traders. He said that several hundred thousand tons of rice and wheat from various countries have arrived at Chittagong port under government management in the last one month. More shipments of food grains are waiting in the pipeline. As soon as government goods arrive at the port, unscrupulous traders compete to increase the price of goods.
Aggrieved buyers said that vegetable sellers in the market are also making excuses for the rise in dollar prices these days. Earlier, these sellers were talking about the increase in the price of fuel oil. Traders no longer want to talk about taxes and extortion at Ghat Ghat while bringing daily essential products from village to Arat. The price of flour per kg packet is 70 rupees in the retail market. However, traders do not want to say that a week ago, about 1 lakh tons of wheat arrived at Chittagong port from Ukraine and Russia. But Russia-Ukraine war frequently comes up in their list of excuses.
In the wholesale market of Khatunganj, the prices of all the daily necessities increased at the beginning of this November. The price of onion, ginger and garlic increased again. Businessmen said that the booking rate is expected to increase in the international market. Again, the banks have narrowed the scope of LC opening. But they do not want to answer the question why the price of onion-garlic imported at the previous rate will increase.
It has been seen that the price of sugar per maund has been increased from Tk 1,180 to Tk 3,680 in the wholesale market of Khatunganj on the pretext mentioned at the beginning of November. Lentils are being sold at Tk 92 per kg increased by Tk 2 per kg. Indian wheat is being sold at Tk 1,650 after increasing the price by Tk 80 per maund. Onion is being sold at Tk 48 by increasing Tk 12 per kg. Indian dry chillies are being sold at Tk 460 per kg at an increase of Tk 20 per kg. At the beginning of November, the price of palm oil was increased by Tk 250 to Tk 4,700 per maund in the wholesale market of Khatunganj. At the end of the first week of November, the prices of Jirashail Siddha, Nazirshail Siddha, Swarna Siddha, Miniket Atap, Kataribhog Atap, Beti Chaal Atap coarse boiled rice were increased by a maximum of Tk 250 per sack in just two days between Chaktai and Pahartali rice.
Bangladesh Consumers Association (CAB) Chittagong Chapter President Najer Hossain told the media that the excuses shown by the businessmen for the increase in the prices of daily necessities have nothing to do with the reality. They had earlier cited fuel price hikes and ship fare hikes as excuses. Now showing dollar appreciation, war, excuses for not being able to open LC. It is actually a trick to steal money from the pockets of common people by showing fear. However, the initiative taken by the government to distribute rice, pulses and oil at affordable prices to 1 crore families through TCB and through OMS in the open market has given some relief to the common people.
Chittagong Chamber President Mahbubul Alam told the media that there are problems in many places. Millers and factory owners say they cannot go into production due to lack of gas. Traders say many banks are not opening LCs due to dollar crunch. Meanwhile, the Board of Revenue has increased the duty on finished goods. But I said, to reduce the duty on finished goods. As the world is in economic recession, everyone should plan to be frugal and thrifty.
